Doomed Pinay's affidavit submitted to Chinese authorities

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said today that its consulate office in Xiamen City has submitted a sworn statement of Sally Ordinario-Villanueva to Chinese authorities, which could save the Filipina from being executed on March 30.

DFA spokesman Eduardo Malaya said in a radio interview today that the Philippines' consulate office submitted the sworn affidavit of Villanueva to the foreign ministry section of the Xiamen City government.

Malaya said that the Xiamen City authorities have assured Philippine consulate officials that the sworn affidavit will be immediately delivered to Beijing through the foreign ministry office of the Chinese government.

He said that they are hoping that the sworn statement would save Ordinario from her scheduled execution.

In her sworn affidavit, which was published in one of the major newspapers in the Philippines, Villanueva said that Mapet Cortez alias Tita Cacayan, a fellow resident of Isabela province, asked her to make an all-expense paid trip to get cellular phones from China and deliver it back to the Philippines.

Villanueva said that Cortez provided her a suitcase, which she should use to carry the cellular phones. It turned out that 4,110 grams of heroin was concealed in the suitcase.

Villanueva was arrested at the Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport last Dec. 24, 2008.

Aside from Villanueva, two more Filipinos -- Elizabeth Batain and Ramon Credo -- have been scheduled for execution on March 30.

Credo was convicted for smuggling 4,113 grams of heroin on Dec. 28, 2008, in Xiamen while Batain was convicted of smuggling 6,800 grams of heroin on May 24, 2008, in Shenzhen.

Malaya, meanwhile, said that the families of Credo and Villanueva arrived in Xiamen City, early Sunday. He said the family of Batain was also scheduled to leave for Guangdong today.

The three families are hoping to be given a chance to visit the doomed Filipino workers before they are executed.

Malaya said there were still no arrangements made for the repatriation of the bodies of the three Filipinos if their executions would push through.

He said that from the date of the executions, it may take at least two weeks before the bodies of the Filipinos are repatriated back to the Philippines.