3 Pinays sentenced to long jail terms for drug trafficking

MANILA, Philippines - Three Filipinas have been sentenced by the High Court of Hong Kong to jail terms of 14, 12 and eight years for drug trafficking, according to a report of the Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong.

The three women were arrested at the Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) in February and June last year after they were found with various amounts of illegal drugs including heroin in their luggage and on their person.

The Consulate General reiterated earlier warnings issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) calling on Filipinos traveling abroad not to be duped into serving as drug couriers. 

In Saudi Arabia, Filipino workers in Riyadh are staging a hunger strike to pressure the Philippine government to repatriate them immediately.

Migrante International noted that the 88 OFWs were victims of contract substitution and unjust labor practices of construction firm Annasban Group.

They stopped working last October after they complained of salary reduction, illegal salary deduction and delayed payment of salary.

Last November, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) pledged to repatriate the workers, but Migrante said this did not happen. — Mayen Jaymalin, Pia Lee-Brago