PRESS RELEASE
Devoted Sister of OFW in Prison Assisted by Philippine Embassy
Ms. Emmie Guino-o Tamonde from Barangay Noa, Magpet, Cotabato has
not seen her youngest brother, Ernie Guino-o Tamonde for the past 13
years. Six months ago, Emmie and her family were shocked to learn
that Ernie is inside an Iranian prison after being caught with
“illegal drugs” in Mashhad City in northeastern Iran. Since then,
Emmie, a prayerful person with unwavering trust and dependence on
God’s loving care was determined to see her brother although her
family does not have the means to travel to Iran. She has not even
traveled outside her hometown. Emmie said she sought the help of
family friends and politicians in her town and province like Mayor
Efren Pinol and Governor Manny Pinol who referred her to Senator
Chiz Escudero. “By the grace of God, Senator Escudero generously
offered to shoulder the cost of my plane tickets,” said a teary-eyed
Emmie. With their help, Emmie traveled to Manila for the first time
in her life to secure a passport and visa for Iran. She stayed with
a relative but after four months, her contributed resource was spent
in applying and following-up her needed travel documents that she
had to seek the help of a religious group which assisted her while
did household chores. By the time her visa was issued, she had run
out of money intended for her hotel and food bills while in Iran.
She continuously prayed to God for her safe travel to Iran to see
her brother even without money. Emmie said she had been praying for
this opportunity to meet her brother for more than a year and would
proceed to Iran even without personal fund. Informed by the Office
of Migrant Workers Affairs of the Department of Foreign
Affairs on Ms. Tamonde’s concerns, Charge d’ Affaires Mariano A.
Dumia of the Philippine Embassy in Tehran welcomed the arrival of
Ms. Tamonde in Iran and assured that the embassy personnel will be
happy to assist her in all her needs during her stay in the country.
CDA Mariano A. Dumia (center) and Embassy staff
welcome Ms. Emmie Tamonde (2nd from left) at the Chancery
on 09 October 2011. At extreme left is Atty. Mipantao Sarip,
Administrative Officer, Attache Emelyn Cosino and Ms. Bertilla Oblad,
Intrepreter
Thus, in the early morning of October 9, 2011, Ms. Tamonde arrived
at the Imam Khomeini International Airport with three embassy staff
meeting and assisting her. She was brought to the Chancery and was
offered the embassy’ two-bedroom Welfare Center, with bathroom and
kitchen for her accommodation. Daily food for Emmie was generously
offered by embassy personnel. CDA Dumia also personally paid for the
two extensions of her airline tickets while waiting for the Iranian
government’s approval for the prison visit. In two weekends, Emmie
was brought to one of Iran’s expansive forested parks- the Mellat
Park by Administrative Officer, Atty. and Mrs. Mapintao Sarip, and
later accompanied by CDA Dumia and wife Gloria on a city tour and to
the Milad Tower Complex, the newest landmark and tourist attraction
of Iran. Emmie expressed her happiness at her “unexpected
full-hearted care and assistance” extended her by the embassy
personnel.
Emmie Tamonde (left) and Mrs. Gloria Dumia at the
foot of Milad Tower Complex
On the approved “Consular visit” on October 24, Ms. Tamonde,
accompanied by CDA Dumia, Mrs. Dumia and Ms. Bertilla Oblad,
interpreter, traveled to the Karaj Penitentiary, some 55 kilometers
west of Tehran. At 10:00 am, the group met with Mr. Mehdi Mirzaie,
head of the prison’s Jail Security and Information. In a few
minutes, Mr. Ernie Tamonde entered the room and was surprised to see
her sister who immediately embraced him tightly while crying. Ernie
tried in vain to comfort his sister as the latter continued crying
and expressing her concern about his condition. It took sometime for
Emmie to calm down while Mr. Mirzaie and his assistant observed the
emotional meeting in silence. Emmie and Ernie briefly talked about
their family as the head Judge of the prison, Mr. Keramat Salari
entered the room. Mr. Mirzaie introduced the visitors to Judge
Salari and the latter inquired about Tamonde’s case. Ernie explained
his case and stated that he has been in jail for almost two years.
CDA Dumia asked Salari if Tamonde could be granted clemency as he
has served almost two years in prison. Salari said the embassy could
send a request for clemency through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
but asked Tamonde to immediately write a personal request for his
clemency so that he will endorse it to the appropriate authorities.
CDA Dumia assisted Tamonde in writing his request for clemency.
Salari said the target for the requested clemency is the country’s
national day in February 2012. Salari said he hopes for a favorable
consideration of his endorsement. CDA Dumia, Emmie and Ernie thanked
Mr. Mirzaie and Judge Salari for their kind assistance to Mr.
Tamonde. After an emotional last talk and embrace of her brother,
Emmie and the group left the penitentiary after more than two
hours. Emmie was very happy to have met her brother despite the
constraints and long wait. In the early morning of October 26, Emmie
returned to Manila but not before expressing her thanks to all those
who helped her realize her dream of seeing and touching her brother
– Mayor Pinol, Governor Pinol, Senator Escudero, officers and staff
of the Office of Migrant Workers Affairs, DFA, Church groups and
NGOs. To the personnel of the embassy who cared for her during her
18 days stay in Iran, Emmie said, “Super bait kayo talaga. Maraming
salamat!” END |
