Over 800 Pinoys jailed for drugs worldwide – DFA

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said yesterday 805 Filipinos are in prison for drug trafficking cases worldwide, including 45 on death row.

Foreign Affairs spokesman Charles Jose said the number of Filipinos on death row all over the world for various offenses stands at 81.

The number of Filipinos in prison for drug-related cases increased by 109 from 696 in August last year.

Out of the 805 cases, 341 Filipinos face drug-related cases in Asia and the Pacific, 244 in the Middle East and Africa, 116 in the United States and the Americas and 104 in Europe.

Meantime, the Philippine embassy in Hanoi confirmed that two Filipino nationals were recently sentenced to death in Vietnam for drug trafficking.

Emmanuel Sillo Camacho and Donna Buenagua Mazon were meted the death penalty after their arrest in 2013 for carrying illegal drugs.

Jose said the DFA has been extending assistance to the Filipinos since their arrest and jail visits have been conducted.

“We would like to assure families of the two Filipinos that we continue to closely monitor the cases and provide updates on the appeal proceedings,” Jose said.