66 Pinoys face death in China over drug charges

Sixty-six Filipinos, including 53 women, are currently on China’s death row for attempting to smuggle illegal drugs into the People’s Republic, an official of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said. In a press briefing, DFA Undersecretary for Migrant Affairs Esteban Conejos said of the 66, nine have been meted out capital punishment without reprieve, eight of whom are women, while the rest with a two-year reprieve.
Under China’s laws, a capital punishment with a two-year reprieve means the convict is given two years to undergo “reform through labor," after which the sentence may be commuted to life imprisonment if the convict is deemed to have shown genuine repentance for his or her crimes. [See state document: Criminal reform in China] Conejos added that as of January this year, a total of 195 Filipinos are either in jail or under investigation in China for drug-related charges. Apart from the 66 facing death penalty, 30 others have been sentenced to life imprisonment, 44 to a fixed term of 50-year imprisonment, while the rest have pending court cases. Rise in Pinoy "drug mules" in China The Philippine government had earlier promised Beijing to step up efforts to curb the number of Filipinos duped into being “drug mules" (bulk runners of illegal drugs), the practice of which has been rising in the last few years. “We have to take this very seriously. It is important for us to demonstrate that we continue to address this problem," Conejos said. Philippine Ambassador to China Sonia Brady had also issued earlier warnings against Filipinos being enticed by syndicates to bring illegal substances into China in exchange for money. [See: Pinoys still fall prey to drug mule syndicates in China] The nine Filipinos facing death sentence without reprieve were caught trying to smuggle in 2,000 to 4,000 grams of heroin, while the 57 facing death sentence with a two-year reprieve had about 500 grams of heroin in their possession when apprehended. Under Chinese law, attempting to introduce at least 50 grams of any illegal narcotic drug into China is punishable by death. Conejos thus urged Filipinos anew to stay away from drug-related crimes, especially as China appears dead-set in putting an end to its problem of illegal narcotics. On Dec. 29 last year, China executed British national Akmal Shaikh for carrying more than four kilograms of heroin into the country despite appeals from British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Palace to appeal to Chinese govt Nevertheless, Malacañang said Tuesday President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo will appeal the cases of the 66 Filipinos on death row if it is justified. Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said the President had asked the DFA to submit recommendations if an appeal is appropriate. “We will do everything we can. The DFA has already been directed to attend to that case and we will do everything that is diplomatically and politically possible to help our people," Remonde said. According to a document from the Information Office of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China, in actual judicial practice, over 99 percent of criminals given the death penalty with a two-year reprieve have had their sentences commuted to life imprisonment or set terms of imprisonment through reform. – Jerrie M. Abella/JV, GMANews.TV