Palace: Continue praying for 3 Pinoys

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang appealed to the public yesterday to continue praying for the three Filipinos facing execution in China for drug smuggling, saying they have only gained reprieve and not commutation of their sentence.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said President Aquino’s appeal for prayers did not mean he was condoning the crimes committed in China by Ramon Credo, 42; Sally Ordinario-Villanueva, 32; and Elizabeth Batain, 38. The Philippines is pleading for the release of the three on humanitarian grounds.

China’s decision to stay the execution of the three – originally scheduled for tomorrow and on Tuesday – came after Vice President Jejomar Binay’s meeting in Beijing with Dai Bongguo, state councilor; Wang Shengjun, president of the Supreme People’s Court; and Zhang Zhijun, executive vice minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Valte said it would be up to Binay to discuss in detail China’s decision to defer the execution of the three upon the appeal of President Aquino.

Valte said the Aquino administration fully understands China’s initial refusal to accommodate any appeal for clemency, saying even the Philippines has strict laws against drug trafficking.

But she said the three Filipinos on death row were not hardened criminals and had only been misled into carrying drugs for syndicates.

“It’s just a matter of strict implementation,” Valte said over radio dzRB, referring to drug laws.

Valte said the government was committed to prosecute and punish all those found guilty of drug crimes, including foreigners.

In Isabela, Villanueva’s town mates are pinning their hopes on Binay’s diplomatic skills to save her and two other Filipinos from execution.

“As far as I see, Binay is doing a good job in this issue,” former Justice secretary Silvestre Bello III said. Like Bello, Binay is an Ibanag. Binay’s mother Lourdes Gatan Cabauatan hails from the town of Cabagan.

“Kahit anong mangyari siya pa rin ang presidente ko (Whatever happens, he is still my president),” said Juancho Reniedo, a restaurant owner and an active campaigner for Binay in the last elections.

Binay’s diplomatic initiative has grabbed the limelight from the State Colleges and Universities Athletic Association’s sports event in Ilagan, Isabela’s capital town, tomorrow. Binay is supposed to be the guest of honor at the opening of the athletic event.

African connection

Meanwhile, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is expanding its inquiry into the involvement of West African drug syndicates in recruiting Filipinos as their drug mules.

NBI Deputy Director for Intelligence Service Ruel Lasala said the West African connection is now being looked into, aside from 54-year-old Tita Nera Cacayan.

Villanueva’s family said it was Cacayan who recruited her and made her carry a bag containing drugs on her flight to China.

“As of now, it is only Tita Nera Cacayan. But our operatives are also investigating the members of the West African drug syndicate,” said Lasala.

The West African drug syndicate also operates in Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand, according to the NBI.

Lasala said some of the drug couriers employed by the syndicate didn’t really know the contents of the bags they were carrying.

He said Villanueva appeared unaware of what was inside the bag she was made to carry.

It was Villanueva’s husband Hilarion who revealed in detail Cacayan’s role in his wife’s getting involved in drug smuggling.

“Hilarion’s revelation is strong, and if we would be able to gather other physical evidence, maybe these would be enough to file charges against Cacayan,” Lasala said.  

Villaneuva’s father Geronimo earlier said Cacayan had promised his daughter a job as a cellular phone dealer abroad.

Cacayan recently showed up at the NBI to deny the allegations against her. She claimed that she and Villanueva are distant relatives and that they had even worked as domestic helpers in Macau and supported each other financially.

Lasala said Hilarion might be included in the government Witness Protection Program. - With Evelyn Macairan, Raymund Catindig