A video is circulating on Facebook (FB) purportedly showing the parents of the alleged killer of overseas Filipino worker (OFW) Jullebee Ranara pleading for the life of their child. This is not true. The video is about a different case in Iran.
On Jan. 28, an FB page published a clip showing the alleged parents of the suspect in the Ranara murder imploring their government to spare their son’s life. Its caption read: “ITO DAW PAMILYA NG 17 YR OLD NA PUM@ASLANG SA KABABAYAN NATEN. (This is the alleged family of the 17-year old who killed our compatriot)”
The video is unrelated to the killing in Kuwait. It was taken from the original December 2022 video of the parents of 21-year-old Mohammed Mehdi Karam who was recently executed in Iran for joining protests against the regime. They are shown pleading with the government to remove their son from the death row, according to Iranian reports.
The 17-year-old suspect in Ranara’s murder is under Kuwaiti police custody. The investigation is still ongoing but an Arab Times article reported that the victim was raped before she was killed, and her body later ditched in a desert.
Senator Raffy Tulfo, who heads the senate committee on migrant affairs, said on Jan. 31 that Ranara’s family will not accept “blood money” nor consider settlement with the camp of the Kuwait OFW’s killer.
“The exact words of the father is: dugo sa dugo. Ibig sabihin hustisya, buhay kapalit ng buhay. (blood for blood. Meaning justice, life for life),” Tulfo said.
This is yet another unrelated video linked to Ranara’s murder that has been debunked by VERA Files Fact Check. (Read FB video shows wrong suspect, NOT alleged killer of OFW in Kuwait and Viral Tiktok videos DO NOT show suspect, mother in OFW’s rape-slay.)
Misinformation surrounding the death of Ranara continues to circulate as several human rights and religious organizations call for justice over the brutal killing of the 35-year-old worker.
FB page Oscarbonara (created on April 16, 2020) published the wrong clip that garnered over 33,000 interactions, 6,000 comments, 6,000 shares and 1.3 million views.
Have you seen any dubious claims, photos, memes, or online posts that you want us to verify? Fill out this reader request form.
(Editor’s Note: VERA Files has partnered with Facebook to fight the spread of disinformation. Find out more about this partnership and our methodology.)
