PNoy creates group to study use of govt funds for blood money

President Benigno Aquino III has created a technical working group to come up with a policy on the use of government funds for blood money for Filipinos who are on death row abroad. Aquino issued the order during his meeting with the Departments of Foreign Affairs, Justice, Budget and Management and Office of Political Affairs on Wednesday. "They formed a technical working group to come up with a viable way of addressing the issue on blood money," presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said at a press briefing Thursday. Lacierda said the agencies noted that the amount of blood money being demanded is getting higher. The latest demand amounted to P35 million, Lacierda said. "Ang assessment po ng DFA is that it is not going to be sustainable in the long term," he said. The agencies also noted those who demand blood money seek a higher amount because they are aware that it will be the Philippine government who will pay. "Pinag-aaralan po ang sistema to keep the amount of blood money reasonable. The TWG will study the matter more thoroughly," said Lacierda. He added that the creation of the task group has nothing to do with the recent controversy involving funds from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office used as blood money. "It's not related to the PCSO (issue). Matagal nang concern ng DFA ito," he said in a text message to GMA News Online. PCSO During a Senate hearing earlier this month, former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) general manager Rosario Uriarte revealed that part of the agency's intelligence funds were used as blood money for four overseas Filipino workers (OFW) on death row in Saudi Arabia in 2006. Uriarte said she specifically handed P5 million in cash for each of the OFWs on death row in Saudi Arabia to Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Esteban Conejos. But Conejos denied receiving P20 million from the PCSO for blood money. He said what he knew was that the PCSO issued a P15-million manager's check or P4,995,000 each for the families of the three slain OFWs. The money was handed over by PCSO officials to the families themselves. The OFWs were said to have been killed by their fellow OFWs in Saudi Arabia in 2006. Conejos also maintained then that there was nothing illegal in paying blood money in exchange for the forgiveness from the victims' families. — RSJ, GMA News