Group blames DFA for spate of Pinoy drug traffickers abroad

A migrant workers’ rights group scored Wednesday the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) for its alleged failure to curb illegal recruitment or help overseas Filipino workers (OFW) in distress, forcing them to engage in drug trafficking. Migrante International issued the statement following the advice from Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs to the 62 Filipinos on death row in China for drug-related offenses. "There is still hope for our kababayans [compatriots] who are facing death penalty in China. We urge them to work on the possible reduction of their sentence from death penalty to life imprisonment by showing good behavior," DFA Undersecretary for Migrant Workers' Affairs Esteban Conejos Jr. said in an article posted on the DFA website. Migrante chairperson Garry Martinez reacted to this, saying that it is Conejos and the DFA "that deserve heavy spanking, not our poor kababayans." He said Filipinos fall prey to drug syndicates precisely because of the "lack of will to curtail illegal recruitment" on the part of government agencies. According to earlier reports, 62 Filipinos, 53 of whom are women, are currently on China’s death row for attempting to smuggle illegal drugs into the People’s Republic. Nine have been meted out capital punishment without reprieve, and the rest with a two-year reprieve. (See: 66 Pinoys face death in China over drug charges) China strictly imposes tough penalties against persons caught in possession of prohibited drugs. Smuggling drugs in amounts as low as 50 grams can carry a 15-year imprisonment, life sentence or even the death penalty. 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. "If a detainee does not show good behavior while in jail, and evidence of such behavior is verified, the execution of death penalty is imposed after the two-year period upon ruling or approval from the People's Supreme Court in Beijing," the DFA also said. In death sentences without reprieve, decisions of lower courts are automatically elevated to the higher courts for review. The People's Supreme Court is the court of last resort before the judgment becomes final and executory. ‘Acts of desperation’ Martinez explained that most, if not all, of the Filipinos who work as drug couriers are either OFWs in distress or victims of illegal recruitment. “Kapit sa patalim ang ating mga kababayan dahil sa matinding kahirapan (Filipino workers engage in such desperate acts because of extreme poverty). Even PDEA chief Dionisio Santiago confirmed this by stating that Filipinos who are desperate for money are the ones victimized by international drug syndicates," he said. Martinez cited the case of Glory Santos, a single mother who also had to extend help to her ailing parents and younger siblings. Santos went to China as a tourist to look for work as her P6,000 salary here was not sufficient. After two months of failed efforts to secure a job and about P20,000 in debts, Santos was lured to carry a baggage containing heroin in exchange for US$2,000 (P92,809), according to Martinez. She was sentenced to 13 years in prison following her arrest in 2008. “If Philippine authorities have been watchful over the plight of Filipinos abroad and have provided them assistance to cope with their situation, Filipinos will not be forced to engage with drug syndicates. Instead of dousing their hopes, the DFA should give them protection," said Martinez. Meanwhile, the DFA said it continues to extend assistance to the 10 Filipinos on death row without reprieve in China. Creation of task force As this developed, the Office of the Executive Secretary convened an inter-agency meeting some two weeks ago to address the problem of Filipinos being used as drug mules to smuggle dangerous and prohibited drugs into China. The DFA also submitted to the Office of the President a draft administrative order creating a task force to prevent Filipinos from being used as drug couriers and being victimized by international criminal syndicates as drug mules. "The task force will strengthen the Philippine government's fight against drug trafficking and protect our citizens from being victimized as drug couriers. It will also demonstrate the government's resolve in working with China and the international community in addressing the drug menace," Conejos said. Martinez, however, expressed skepticism about the plan, saying a previous task force had already been created for the same purpose. “The mere fact that there has been a steep increase in the number of Filipino drug mules is enough proof of its utter failure. We don’t want the nation’s coffers to be again wasted on government efforts that are bound to fail," he said. Martinez was referring to the Presidential Anti-Illegal Recruitment Task Force created in 2004 with an Oversight Committee composed of, among others, the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, and the POEA Administrator. Section 7 of Executive Order 235 which created the task force provides for a P10-million budget. Migrante also demanded the DFA to immediately release funds for the legal defense of the jailed Filipinos in China, as their cases can still be appealed before reaching the People’s Supreme Court. The group also asked the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration to give financial support to the families of the imprisoned OFWs.—Jerrie M. Abella/JV, GMANews.TV