MANILA, Philippines – The overseas Filipino worker who was mistaken as the suspect in a controversial road rage killing in the Philippines by authorities in Doha, Qatar is back in Manila.

Jason Vivar Aguilar, 26, of Pandukot in Calumpit, Bulacan arrived on board Qatar Airlines flight QR 648 at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport terminal 1 around 9:15 a.m.

Aguilar's relatives and members of the Philippine National Police waited for him at the airport.

Aguilar worked as a welder for 1 month in Qatar. Doha police thought he was Jason Aguilar Ivler, a wanted suspect in Manila.

Ivler, an American citizen is accused of killing Renato Victor Ebarle Jr., son of Malacañang assistant secretary Renato Ebarle, last November 18, 2009. The Philippine government has raised the reward for Ivler’s arrest to P1 million.

Ivler’s name is already on the Interpol Red Notice List since his warrant of arrest was released in the Philippines. He can be arrested abroad and deported back to the Philippines at any time.

Ordeal

Aguilar said the Doha police investigated him several times. He also submitted himself twice to undergo finger printing.

However, a few hours before New Year's Eve, the police invited him again allegedly for further investigation but he ended up being detained. No explanation was given to him by the police on his alleged case.

The OFW added that while under the process of investigation up to the time he was detained, he was not provided with a lawyer or assisted by anyone from the Philippine Embassy.

For 7 days, Aguilar said he was not able to eat and bathe while detained with 77 others inside a cramped cell.

He was only able to inform his sister, Janet Lopez, about his plight through a call made from a smuggled cellphone of one of the inmates.

Still clueless

Upon his arrival at the airport, Aguilar was reportedly still clueless on why authorities detained him for 7 days in Doha. Nevertheless, he said he is thankful that his ordeal has ended and that he is now finally home.

At the airport, Senior Superintendent Audie Encena Arroyo, deputy director for operations of Quezon City police and head of Task Force Ivler, made the initial verification.

Police checked Aguilar's arm for a tattoo similar to the one reportedly on Ivler's.

After several questioning, the PNP officials said they were sure that Aguilar is not the man they are looking for.

Parish priest to the rescue

Meanwhile, Father Jojit Sayas, parish priest of Pandukot in Calumpit personally went to the airport to vouch for Aguilar.

Fr. Sayas also appealed to Ivler to surrender to authorities to prevent innocent people with a similar name from experiencing what Aguilar went has gone through.

The priest also made a similar appeal to Ivler's parents to urge him to give himself up to face the charges against him or to clear his name if he is really innocent of the crime.

Family appeal

Aguilar's eldest brother, Jojit, sought the help of authorities to clear his brother's name after learning that the OFW could no longer return to Qatar because he was already included in the blacklist of both the Doha immigration and police.

Meanwhile, OFW advocate and senatorial bet Susan Ople urged the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to work closely with the Philippine Embassy in Qatar to ensure that Aguilar would not lose his job.

"It is the responsibility of the NBI with the help of the Department of Foreign Affairs to immediately clear up this case of mistaken identity and make sure that this innocent OFW is accepted by his employer and the government of Qatar with open arms," Ople said.

John Leonard Monterona, regional coordinator of Migrante Middle East blames the Philippine government’s “slackness” for the incident.

“Our poor fellow OFW Jason Aguilar has been treated like a convicted criminal, where in fact he is as innocent as a new born child; this mistaken identity case is clearly a result of government slackness,” said Monterona.

Monterona said the public, especially the OFW sector, deserves an explanation from the government about Aguilar’s case and how the rights and well-being of other “Jason Aguilars” will be safeguarded and protected.

Ivler has been the subject of a police manhunt after allegedly shooting dead Ebarle Jr., during a traffic altercation along Boni Serrano Avenue in Quezon City.

Ebarle died of 3 gunshot wounds in the body.