Roy Señeres: Recherche Ambassador
Text and photos: Lino C. Soriano
Note: This article was published in People’s Tonight Hong Kong Edition on October 27, 2002.
“I swallowed my pride. I did not resort to formalities… (especially when the date of the execution was getting nearer), I can’t sleep, I lost 15 pounds during that time… I really wanted Sarah freed because I felt she is a daughter. I never wanted my daughter to suffer the same fate!”
WHO will forget Sarah Balabagan and John Aquino? Two Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who were sentenced to death by a court in United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the 90s? And who will not remember the man who moved heaven and earth to save these two innocent lives?
What are the circumstances beyond the conviction of the two Gastarbeiters? On separate occasions, what extraordinary efforts did former Amb. Roy Señeres do to prove, beyond reasonable doubt that Balabagan and Aquino were not guilty?
A Cause Célèbre
IN 1994, Sarah Balabagan, a 15-year-old Muslim was sentenced to death for killing her Arab employer. Sarah cried self-defense because the latter tried (and almost succeeded) to rape her. In defending her honor, she was able to get hold of a kitchen knife and stabbed him dead.
“I was newly posted as ambassador in the United Arab Emirates, when I learned of a disturbing report that a 15-year-old girl was languishing in jail for two weeks, I immediately visited her,” narrates Señeres.
Because the ambassador knew that he road to freedom is a long and tedious process, he befriended the warden. As a practice of embassy officials in any country, only consuls visit their own prisoners. But in the case of Sarah, the highest embassy official visited her and made a series of representations. The warden felt elated because of the extraordinary importance accorded him. Added to this was the Filipino hospitality of giving pasalubongs every time the ambassador or any member of his family arrives from the Philippines.
One time, the Egyptian ambassador talked with Señeres and told him that he was giving him a headache. Because of the extraordinary efforts that our ambassador was exerting to save the life of Sarah, the Egyptian nationals who were also in other jails in UAE were expecting no less than their ambassador to do the same.
Killed a VIP
ONE of the main obstacles to a fair decision on Sarah’s case was that she killed an important man – the leader of the Balouishi tribe. This was aggravated by the fact that the judge was being heavily pressured to rule against Sarah. This means death penalty – by beheading. It was a grueling legal battle that lasted for nine months. During the early part of the case, Amb. Señeres hired a first-rate Arab lawyer. To finance the expenses, he solicited donations from the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) and the Filipino community in that country.
Death to Sarah!
‘GUILTY!’
As expected, this was the decision handed by the judge after a few months of deliberation. But Sarah could only be free if the relatives of the Arab she killed would accept the blood money in the amount of US$41,000. Unfortunately, it was learned that the relatives never wanted to accept the money. And it would be next to impossible to convince them to reverse their decision. Amb. Señeres wasted no time. He sought an audience with Sultan Al-Nahayah, an influential UAE leader.
“I told him that UAE is my second home. I pleaded for Sarah’s life. I told him to pity the girl because (at that time) she was only 15 years old… ‘do you want to be condemned by the whole world for executing a 15-year-old girl?”
The sultan doubted the claim of Señeres concerning Sarah’s true age. He alleged that in her passport, she was 21 years old. He replied that her age was forged by the illegal recruiter who sent her to this country.
Arrest the Illegal Recruiter!
AFTER leaving the palace, the ambassador immediately contacted then Labor Sec. Ruben Torres and requested him to arrest the illegal recruiter and have this published on the front pages of major newspapers, putting emphasis on Sarah’s age, adding the information that she was easily duped to work abroad because she was a minor. After a few days, an arrest was made. Major broadsheets and tabloids in the Philippines bannered the story. Fax copies of these were immediately brought to Sultan Al-Nahayah.
Convinced that Sarah was really a minor and afraid of the repercussions and condemnation by the whole world, the Sultan said: “I can prevail upon the family to pardon.”
But the road leading to Sarah’s freedom was not a picnic. For many weeks, the ambassador lobbied on the King’s sons, cousins, cabinet officials and other UAE rulers. He also had a series of “I-invite-myself” breakfast meetings with the President’s son to help influence the decision of the victim’s family. The Breakfast meetings were made possible through the collaboration of several Filipino staff members of the President’s son – a gardener, cook, security guard – to call him once he’s available.
“I swallowed my pride. I did not resort to formalities… (especially when the date of the execution was getting nearer), I can’t sleep, I lost 15 pounds during that time… I really wanted Sarah freed because I felt she is a daughter. I never wanted my daughter to suffer the same fate!”
A few months before the actual execution of Sarah, Amb. Señeres knew in advance that it will not be promulgated because of the assurance from the King.
Good News!
AT the end of nine months, the family of the Arab agreed to receive the blood money, in the amount of US$41,000. The amount came from donations, but most of it from a caring Filipino businessman.
During the arrival of Sarah in Manila, she told this writer of the enduring pain and anxieties that she had gone through while in UAE jail. She emphasized that she and her family were extremely grateful to Amb. Señeres, without whose efforts, could have resulted to her beheading.
Because of his untiring efforts and unorthodox measures to free Sarah, Amb. Señeres landed on the international dailies and magazines. At the height of Sarah’s case (prior to the announcement of her freedom), the ambassador was frequently interviewed by local and international print and broadcast media.
In 1996, he was cited by the World’s Who’s Who in international affairs, a London-based institution. “As leading diplomat and principal figure in the field of international relations.”
John Aquino
IN defending his life and the honor of the Filipino, John Aquino was charged with murder and frustrated murder in the United Arab Emirates in 1990.
Based on the account of Amb. Señeres, one day, John was eating at the mess hall when, with no provocation, two Indians (but of British citizenship) kicked his plate and tried to strangle him. John was able to free himself and quickly ran to the kitchen but they followed him and tried to kill him. After getting hold of a kitchen knife, thinking of saving his life from imminent death, he fought back, killing one in the process and seriously injuring the other.
To be able to work out an effective strategy leading to John’ Señeres hired a first-rate interpreter to translate the police report from Arabic to English. Unlike the case of Sarah Balabagan, John’s case took more than 10 years because the ambassado succeeded to have the execution postponed for seven times.
Text and photos: Lino C. Soriano
Note: This article was published in People’s Tonight Hong Kong Edition on October 27, 2002.
“I swallowed my pride. I did not resort to formalities… (especially when the date of the execution was getting nearer), I can’t sleep, I lost 15 pounds during that time… I really wanted Sarah freed because I felt she is a daughter. I never wanted my daughter to suffer the same fate!”
WHO will forget Sarah Balabagan and John Aquino? Two Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who were sentenced to death by a court in United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the 90s? And who will not remember the man who moved heaven and earth to save these two innocent lives?
What are the circumstances beyond the conviction of the two Gastarbeiters? On separate occasions, what extraordinary efforts did former Amb. Roy Señeres do to prove, beyond reasonable doubt that Balabagan and Aquino were not guilty?
A Cause Célèbre
IN 1994, Sarah Balabagan, a 15-year-old Muslim was sentenced to death for killing her Arab employer. Sarah cried self-defense because the latter tried (and almost succeeded) to rape her. In defending her honor, she was able to get hold of a kitchen knife and stabbed him dead.
“I was newly posted as ambassador in the United Arab Emirates, when I learned of a disturbing report that a 15-year-old girl was languishing in jail for two weeks, I immediately visited her,” narrates Señeres.
Because the ambassador knew that he road to freedom is a long and tedious process, he befriended the warden. As a practice of embassy officials in any country, only consuls visit their own prisoners. But in the case of Sarah, the highest embassy official visited her and made a series of representations. The warden felt elated because of the extraordinary importance accorded him. Added to this was the Filipino hospitality of giving pasalubongs every time the ambassador or any member of his family arrives from the Philippines.
One time, the Egyptian ambassador talked with Señeres and told him that he was giving him a headache. Because of the extraordinary efforts that our ambassador was exerting to save the life of Sarah, the Egyptian nationals who were also in other jails in UAE were expecting no less than their ambassador to do the same.
Killed a VIP
ONE of the main obstacles to a fair decision on Sarah’s case was that she killed an important man – the leader of the Balouishi tribe. This was aggravated by the fact that the judge was being heavily pressured to rule against Sarah. This means death penalty – by beheading. It was a grueling legal battle that lasted for nine months. During the early part of the case, Amb. Señeres hired a first-rate Arab lawyer. To finance the expenses, he solicited donations from the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) and the Filipino community in that country.
Death to Sarah!
‘GUILTY!’
As expected, this was the decision handed by the judge after a few months of deliberation. But Sarah could only be free if the relatives of the Arab she killed would accept the blood money in the amount of US$41,000. Unfortunately, it was learned that the relatives never wanted to accept the money. And it would be next to impossible to convince them to reverse their decision. Amb. Señeres wasted no time. He sought an audience with Sultan Al-Nahayah, an influential UAE leader.
“I told him that UAE is my second home. I pleaded for Sarah’s life. I told him to pity the girl because (at that time) she was only 15 years old… ‘do you want to be condemned by the whole world for executing a 15-year-old girl?”
The sultan doubted the claim of Señeres concerning Sarah’s true age. He alleged that in her passport, she was 21 years old. He replied that her age was forged by the illegal recruiter who sent her to this country.
Arrest the Illegal Recruiter!
AFTER leaving the palace, the ambassador immediately contacted then Labor Sec. Ruben Torres and requested him to arrest the illegal recruiter and have this published on the front pages of major newspapers, putting emphasis on Sarah’s age, adding the information that she was easily duped to work abroad because she was a minor. After a few days, an arrest was made. Major broadsheets and tabloids in the Philippines bannered the story. Fax copies of these were immediately brought to Sultan Al-Nahayah.
Convinced that Sarah was really a minor and afraid of the repercussions and condemnation by the whole world, the Sultan said: “I can prevail upon the family to pardon.”
But the road leading to Sarah’s freedom was not a picnic. For many weeks, the ambassador lobbied on the King’s sons, cousins, cabinet officials and other UAE rulers. He also had a series of “I-invite-myself” breakfast meetings with the President’s son to help influence the decision of the victim’s family. The Breakfast meetings were made possible through the collaboration of several Filipino staff members of the President’s son – a gardener, cook, security guard – to call him once he’s available.
“I swallowed my pride. I did not resort to formalities… (especially when the date of the execution was getting nearer), I can’t sleep, I lost 15 pounds during that time… I really wanted Sarah freed because I felt she is a daughter. I never wanted my daughter to suffer the same fate!”
A few months before the actual execution of Sarah, Amb. Señeres knew in advance that it will not be promulgated because of the assurance from the King.
Good News!
AT the end of nine months, the family of the Arab agreed to receive the blood money, in the amount of US$41,000. The amount came from donations, but most of it from a caring Filipino businessman.
During the arrival of Sarah in Manila, she told this writer of the enduring pain and anxieties that she had gone through while in UAE jail. She emphasized that she and her family were extremely grateful to Amb. Señeres, without whose efforts, could have resulted to her beheading.
Because of his untiring efforts and unorthodox measures to free Sarah, Amb. Señeres landed on the international dailies and magazines. At the height of Sarah’s case (prior to the announcement of her freedom), the ambassador was frequently interviewed by local and international print and broadcast media.
In 1996, he was cited by the World’s Who’s Who in international affairs, a London-based institution. “As leading diplomat and principal figure in the field of international relations.”
John Aquino
IN defending his life and the honor of the Filipino, John Aquino was charged with murder and frustrated murder in the United Arab Emirates in 1990.
Based on the account of Amb. Señeres, one day, John was eating at the mess hall when, with no provocation, two Indians (but of British citizenship) kicked his plate and tried to strangle him. John was able to free himself and quickly ran to the kitchen but they followed him and tried to kill him. After getting hold of a kitchen knife, thinking of saving his life from imminent death, he fought back, killing one in the process and seriously injuring the other.
To be able to work out an effective strategy leading to John’ Señeres hired a first-rate interpreter to translate the police report from Arabic to English. Unlike the case of Sarah Balabagan, John’s case took more than 10 years because the ambassado succeeded to have the execution postponed for seven times.
Mission Impossible
AFTER the family of the Indian refused to accept the US$41,000 blood money, Amb. Señeres had sensed that it was a ‘mission impossible’ to free John, one faux pas and he’s executed.
Savoir faire (knowing what to do), he thought of an Arab friend, a former city judge, whom he requested to introduce him to the Chief Justice. The ambassador pleaded for the reversal of the decision but the Chief Justice said it was plain and simple murder because of the four wounds and many scratches that the victims sustained. After more representations, he failed.
But just like in boxing, Amb. Señeres never threw the towel. “What made the negotiations with the family more difficult is that they live in Birmingham, England. After the seventh stay in the execution, parang give up na ako. I requested OWWA to send John’s mother to Abu Dhabi to see her son. She stayed in my house and prayed every day. There were times when I joined her.”
Dead Man Walking
ONE day, Amb. Señeres was shocked to learn that faute de mieux (for lack of anything better), Amb. George Reyes, sent a memorandum to Foreign Affairs Sec. Domingo Siazon, recommending that the Filipino people be informed that nothing can be done to save the life of John Aquino, because the family of the man he killed refused to accept the blood money.
“I got mad, really mad. Why will Amb. George Reyes surrender when John is not his man? We will leave no stones unturned, so that the Filipino people will not say that we’re remissed in our duties.”
AFTER the family of the Indian refused to accept the US$41,000 blood money, Amb. Señeres had sensed that it was a ‘mission impossible’ to free John, one faux pas and he’s executed.
Savoir faire (knowing what to do), he thought of an Arab friend, a former city judge, whom he requested to introduce him to the Chief Justice. The ambassador pleaded for the reversal of the decision but the Chief Justice said it was plain and simple murder because of the four wounds and many scratches that the victims sustained. After more representations, he failed.
But just like in boxing, Amb. Señeres never threw the towel. “What made the negotiations with the family more difficult is that they live in Birmingham, England. After the seventh stay in the execution, parang give up na ako. I requested OWWA to send John’s mother to Abu Dhabi to see her son. She stayed in my house and prayed every day. There were times when I joined her.”
Dead Man Walking
ONE day, Amb. Señeres was shocked to learn that faute de mieux (for lack of anything better), Amb. George Reyes, sent a memorandum to Foreign Affairs Sec. Domingo Siazon, recommending that the Filipino people be informed that nothing can be done to save the life of John Aquino, because the family of the man he killed refused to accept the blood money.
“I got mad, really mad. Why will Amb. George Reyes surrender when John is not his man? We will leave no stones unturned, so that the Filipino people will not say that we’re remissed in our duties.”
The Big Break
ONE day, while Amb. Señeres was reading a copy of the Gulf News, he came across a news story of an execution in Egypt. Even though the one involved was an Arab, the European Union, especially the United Kingdom, reacted sharply on the sordid story. There is no law imposing death penalty in U.K.
Immediately, Amb. Señeres called up British Amb. Anthony Harris. He informed him that a Filipino is to be executed upon the insistence of his countrymen who are living in Birmingham. Quickly, Amb. Harris summoned Deputy Amb. Patrick Morgan, who communicated with their Commission on Interior (CI), under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in London. His order was to find the family of John’s victim.
After the phone conversation, Amb. Señeres sent a note verbale formalizing the request for assistance. A copy of which was sent to London.
Later, he learned that the members of the family of John’s victim who were newly-naturalized British citizens were found. They were reminded that when they pledged allegiance to Her Majesty, they have to abide all the laws of the land, including UK’ s strong stand against death penalty. The CI pressured the family to drop the demands. Because of this, the family pardoned John, and out of shame, they refused to accept the US$41,000 blood money.
At the reception of the Russian Ambassador in Abu Dhabi, Amb. Harris said, “You have saved another life! You have another feather on your cap, Roy.”
Lighter Sentence
INSTEAD of death penalty, the UAE Supreme Court handed John an 11-year sentence, which he, during the promulgation of the decision, had already served about 10 years. However, the new Philippine ambassador to UAE, informed the court that the blood money will be paid, after a Filipino businessman had earlier offered to shoulder the cost. Taking cognizance of the offer, the court accepted the US$41,000 and donated it to charity.
After about a year, John was a free man! He was sent home. The DFA had coordinated his return, but, they failed to invite to the reception Amb. Señeres – the man responsible for his freedom.
Before the arrival of John, Amb. Señeres received three phone calls from OWWA Adm. Gardiner, inviting him to the arrival rites. At the airport, in a number of times, John emphasized that if not for the relentless efforts of Amb. Señeres, he may have delivered home in a box years ago.
ONE day, while Amb. Señeres was reading a copy of the Gulf News, he came across a news story of an execution in Egypt. Even though the one involved was an Arab, the European Union, especially the United Kingdom, reacted sharply on the sordid story. There is no law imposing death penalty in U.K.
Immediately, Amb. Señeres called up British Amb. Anthony Harris. He informed him that a Filipino is to be executed upon the insistence of his countrymen who are living in Birmingham. Quickly, Amb. Harris summoned Deputy Amb. Patrick Morgan, who communicated with their Commission on Interior (CI), under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in London. His order was to find the family of John’s victim.
After the phone conversation, Amb. Señeres sent a note verbale formalizing the request for assistance. A copy of which was sent to London.
Later, he learned that the members of the family of John’s victim who were newly-naturalized British citizens were found. They were reminded that when they pledged allegiance to Her Majesty, they have to abide all the laws of the land, including UK’ s strong stand against death penalty. The CI pressured the family to drop the demands. Because of this, the family pardoned John, and out of shame, they refused to accept the US$41,000 blood money.
At the reception of the Russian Ambassador in Abu Dhabi, Amb. Harris said, “You have saved another life! You have another feather on your cap, Roy.”
Lighter Sentence
INSTEAD of death penalty, the UAE Supreme Court handed John an 11-year sentence, which he, during the promulgation of the decision, had already served about 10 years. However, the new Philippine ambassador to UAE, informed the court that the blood money will be paid, after a Filipino businessman had earlier offered to shoulder the cost. Taking cognizance of the offer, the court accepted the US$41,000 and donated it to charity.
After about a year, John was a free man! He was sent home. The DFA had coordinated his return, but, they failed to invite to the reception Amb. Señeres – the man responsible for his freedom.
Before the arrival of John, Amb. Señeres received three phone calls from OWWA Adm. Gardiner, inviting him to the arrival rites. At the airport, in a number of times, John emphasized that if not for the relentless efforts of Amb. Señeres, he may have delivered home in a box years ago.
Awards, Citations
BECAUSE of the extraordinary efforts of the resourceful and hardworking ambassador in saving the lives of his jailed countrymen, he received a number of awards and citations, some of which include:
BECAUSE of the extraordinary efforts of the resourceful and hardworking ambassador in saving the lives of his jailed countrymen, he received a number of awards and citations, some of which include:
1. Leading Diplomat Citation in International Affairs from the World’s Who’s Who.
2. Plaque of Appreciation from the United Filipino Association, Abu Dhabi, 1990. 3. Certificate of Recognition from ABS-CBN’s Hoy Gising!,1996. 4. Plaque of Appreciation from the Department of Labor and Employment, 1996. 5. Plaque of Recognition (Hall of Famer) from the Agusan Association, Inc., 1995. |
“I consider Sarah Balabagan, John Aquino, and all others whose lives I have saved, as the best awards or recognition that I have ever received,” concludes the recherche ambassador.
Today, Amb. Señeres sits as Party-List Representative in Congress, representing the OFWs and continues to help our modern heroes and contractual employees who are encountering labor problems.
Today, Amb. Señeres sits as Party-List Representative in Congress, representing the OFWs and continues to help our modern heroes and contractual employees who are encountering labor problems.