Help Filipina OFW facing death for drug offense — Binay

The Presidential Adviser for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) Concerns on Tuesday asked the foreign affairs department to help a Filipina facing the death penalty for drug trafficking in China. Vice President and OFW advisor Jejomar Binay said the Filipina, a teacher in Shanwei City in Guangdong, is waiting for her trial on charges of drug trafficking to begin, following her arrest last October. “I am directing the DFA, particularly our consulate, to give all possible assistance to our kababayan. This is another unfortunate case," Binay said in an article posted on the website of the Office of the Vice President. He asked the DFA to keep him updated on the case, as well as to maintain close contact with the OFW's relatives in the Philippines. Representatives from the Philippine Consulate General in Guangzhou have already visited the Filipina last November 18 at the detention center in Guangzhou. According to the DFA, the Filipina was caught at the Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport with a foil packet containing powder at the bottom of her check-in luggage last October 26. The packet allegedly contained 1,996 grams of heroin. In China, possession of at least 50 grams of illegal drugs is considered trafficking and is punishable by at least 15 years in prison, life imprisonment or death, depending on the specific circumstances of the case. More Filipinos becoming drug mules Despite the steep penalties, the number of Filipinos involved in drug smuggling has been on the rise in the past two years, mostly in Asia. The risen has been exponential, prompting the government to create the interagency Task Force on Drug Couriers in February. The task force is composed of Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Department of Labor and Employment, the Bureaus of Immigration and Customs and the Philippine Tourism Authority. According to the DFA there were 197 drug-related cases involving Filipinos in China as of May 2010. That number already surpassed the number of cases noted for both 2009 and 2008. In 2009, 39 Filipinos were arrested for drug-related offenses in the Chinese territories. In 2008, 111 cases were recorded, representing a 594-percent increase from the 16 Filipinos arrested in 2007. The number was eight in 2006. Of the number of Filipinos now facing drug charges in China in May, six are facing the death penalty without reprieve and 67 are on death row, but have a two-year reprieve. Filipina victims Sixty-two percent of Filipinos detained abroad for drug trafficking are women. Last month, Senator Pia S. Cayetano urged the Senate, in a privilege speech, to probe the increase in the number of Filipino drug mules being used by international drug syndicates. Filipinos become drug mules for many reasons. According to Binay, in most cases OFWs agree to become drug mules because of financial problems. In a report in July, the PDEA said that some Filipinos became unwitting drug mules because of their “kindness." PDEA spokesperson Derrick Carreon said the Filipino trait of pakikisama or “getting along" has proven to be their Achilles’ heel, and is exploited by drug syndicates. He recounted instances when Filipinos who are asked by strangers — usually good-natured foreigners — to tuck certain packages inside their luggage in exchange for cash, or sometimes even for free. Many Filipinas are often tricked into becoming mules by “the promise of a better life," said Cayetano, the head of the Senate Committee on Youth, Women and Family Relations. “Drug syndicates have lured our women to allow themselves to be used in this illegal drug trade with a promise of a better life," she said. “Filipino women choose to leave the country thinking they have legitimate job offers from drug syndicates. To make it even harder to resist, these drug syndicates facilitate their travel by providing for their plane ticket and even giving them pocket money to spend," the solon added. Once they get to their destination, however, the victims are left with no choice but to follow the orders of the drug syndicates for fear that they might get harmed, she added, citing reports from the PDEA “Syndicates even go to the extent of having relationships with Filipinas," Members of drug syndicates con them into becoming drug mules by first courting them through internet chat rooms then making them their girlfriend or wife," the solon said. Last year, former Vice President Noli De Castro said that a total of 158 Filipinos — most of whom were women — had been arrested for drug trafficking in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau as of June 7.—DM/JV, GMANews.TV