Verdict on Pinoy drug mule final - Chinese embassy

MANILA, Philippines - The verdict by the Chinese judicial authorities on the Filipino sentenced to death for drug trafficking is final, the Chinese embassy in Manila said yesterday.

Chinese embassy Deputy Chief of Political Section and spokesperson Ethan Sun Yi said China and the Philippines have been staying in close contact about the matter.

“The Philippine side expressed its concern and the Chinese side stated its position. The verdict by the Chinese judicial authorities is final,” he said in a text message to The STAR.

He added that China is ready to render as much assistance as possible to the kin of the Filipino drug mule who are traveling to China soon.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) earlier said China had not decided on the Philippines’ appeal amid reports that China rejected the plea to save the Filipino from death penalty.

“No word on that yet,” said DFA spokesperson Raul Hernandez.

Last Thursday, the Chinese embassy said there was also no word yet from Beijing on the Philippines’ request to facilitate the visit of Vice President Jejomar Binay to China to request President Hu Jintao to save the Filipino drug mule.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario met with Chinese Ambassador Liu Jianchao on Tuesday night to convey the appeal and to request assistance from the embassy to facilitate the visit of Binay, also the presidential adviser on overseas Filipino workers concerns.

The DFA said on Wednesday that a 35-year-old Filipino is scheduled to be executed in China on Dec. 8 after his conviction for the case of smuggling of 1.495 kilos of heroin to Guangxi was upheld by the Supreme People’s Court (SPC) in Beijing, China’s high court.

The DFA said the High People’s Court (HPC) of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region informed the Philippine Consulate General in Guangzhou that China’s high court affirmed the lower court’s decision on the carrying out of death penalty to the Filipino national next week.

The Filipino male, whose identity has not been revealed, was apprehended on Sept. 13, 2008 at the Guilin International Airport from Malaysia, after authorities found the heroin in his possession.

President Aquino has sent a letter of appeal to President Hu requesting commutation of the OFW’s death penalty to life imprisonment.

Hoping for a miracle

Meanwhile, Binay said yesterday he is still hoping and praying for a miracle to save the Filipino drug mule from being executed on Dec. 8.

“According to news reports, Beijing will not commute the death penalty for our kababayan. As of this time, we have not received an official communication from the Chinese Foreign Ministry. But as long as the execution has not been made, we will not lose hope. Let us pray more,” Binay said, adding that Dec. 8 is the feast of the Immaculate Conception.

“Let us pray that we will blessed with one miracle on that day,” Binay said.

The Vice President added that the Philippine government is recognizing the Chinese government’s implementation of its own laws and the bilateral relations of the two countries.

Firm on laws

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile yesterday said the Chinese government takes the enforcement of its laws very seriously and interference from the outside is frowned upon just like any other country.

“We should not even interfere with their criminal justice system but we can appeal,” he said.

Enrile said that the government was right to exhaust all the legal remedies to save the life of the Filipino in China as its responsibility.

But the bottom line is that the Philippine government has to respect the sovereign rights of China in the end, regardless of the result of the appeals.

Senate foreign relations committee chairman Sen. Loren Legarda echoed Enrile’s opinion.

“The death penalty against a 35-year-old Filipino national convicted of drug trafficking in China is unfortunate, but we need to respect the decision,” Legarda said.

Meanwhile. a group of OFWs is holding a series of candle lighting and rallies to dramatize their call to save the life of the Filipino drug mule.

Starting yesterday afternoon, members of Migrante International lighted candles at the Boy Scout Circle in Timog, Quezon City and they are set to hold the same rites at St. Peter’s Parish on Sunday.

Migrante said they would also be camping out in Mendiola on Tuesday and will hold a nationwide noise barrage on the eve of the Filipino’s scheduled execution.

Families of other Filipinos facing death penalty in various countries are also holding an early morning rally in Mendiola to pressure the government to act on their relatives’ plight.

Last March, China executed three Filipino workers who were convicted of smuggling heroin despite last-minute appeals and political concessions by Philippine leaders. – With Jose Rodel Clapano, Marvin Sy, Christina Mendez, Mayen Jaymalin