China defers execution date of 3 Pinoy drug convicts

(Updated 1:08 a.m. Feb. 19) China has decided to postpone the execution dates of three Filipinos convicted of drug trafficking, a joint Philippine-Chinese statement announced Friday night, following last-minute efforts by a Philippine delegation led by Vice President Jejomar Binay to plead with top Chinese officials to spare the lives of the three. In a terse, five-point statement jointly issued by the Philippine and Chinese governments on the occasion of Binay's hurried visit to Beijing, the Chinese side said it briefed Binay on the decision of its Supreme People's Court (SPC) "to postpone the execution within the scope of Chinese law." Two women and a man, all Philippine nationals, were scheduled to be executed in two southern Chinese cities next week and would be the first Filipinos to be put to death in China. "The Philippine side stated that it fully respects China's law and the verdict of the SPC, and expressed its sincere appreciation to China for the decision of the SPC to postpone the execution within the scope of Chinese law," the joint statement said.
It remains unclear when the high court's final decision will be implemented, or if the qualifying phrase "within the scope of Chinese law" allows a long postponement that could lead to alternative judicial options. The joint statement was emailed to media Friday night just a few hours after Binay met with SPC President Wang Shengjun; State Councillor Dai Bingguo; and Executive Vice Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Zhang Zhijun. According to the statement, Philippine and Chinese representatives exchanged views during the meeting on issues concerning the two countries' bilateral relations, including judicial cooperation. "The two sides expressed the determination to work together and make joint efforts in further strengthening the relationship of strategic cooperation," the statement added. It added that the Philippines and China are "determined to work together" in fighting transnational crimes, including drug trafficking. "We appreciate the decision made by the Chinese court to have the execution postponed," Binay said in a separate Reuters report. Binay flew in a rush to Beijing on Friday and reportedly met with the Chinese chief justice and other officials to seek a last-minute clemency. President Benigno Aquino III had sought a high-level meeting to discuss drug-related cases of about 200 Filipinos in Chinese jails. About 70 have been sentenced to death but given two-year reprieves. Diplomatic sources say the SPC's decision to postpone the three executions could be the first such case for a death sentence without reprieve in China. First time in 36 years of PHL-China relations Earlier Friday, Malaya announced in a press conference that China had finally allowed Binay to visit China in the morning of that day – a trip originally scheduled for Thursday – to personally appeal the cases of the three Filipinos. China's SPC affirmed on February 11 the death sentences on the three, later identified as Ramon Credo, 42; Sally Ordinario, 32; and Elizabeth Batain, 38. Credo and Ordinario were scheduled for execution by lethal injection in Xiamen on February 21, while Batain was to be executed in Shenzhen on February 22. This is the first time that Filipinos were sentenced to be executed in China for drug trafficking charges in the 36 years of Philippines-China diplomatic relations. Credo and Ordinario smuggled at least four kilograms each of heroin, while Batain was arrested with almost seven kilograms in China. In a last attempt to save the Filipinos from death penalty, Aquino has sent a high-level delegation to Beijing, composed of Binay and DFA Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Esteban Conejos Jr., to meet with Chinese officials to make a final plea for the commutation of the Filipinos’ death sentences to life imprisonment. “We note that in receiving the Vice President, the Chinese government took into serious consideration the sentiments of President Aquino and the Filipino people," Malaya said. According to Malaya, the delegation arrived in Beijing at noon Friday and was welcomed by senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China (PROC), PROC Ambassador to the Philippines Liu Jianchao, and Philippine Ambassador to China Francisco Benedicto. Malaya added that at 2:30 p.m. Friday afternoon, Binay and Conejos would have met with the president of SPC and other high-ranking Chinese officials. Two priests, one in Xiamen and one in Shenzhen, were also put on standby to perform last religious rights on the convicts, should the penalty push through. The families of Credo and Ordinario were scheduled to leave for Xiamen Saturday morning to visit their incarcerated relatives, while Batain’s relatives were to leave for Shenzhen a day after. 'Miracle', says Ordinario's mother In a newscast on GMA News "Saksi", the families of Ordinario and Credo expressed joy and relief upon learning that the death sentences have been postponed. "Himala. Miracle. Himala ang dumating sa anak ko. Birthday niya, 25. 'Yun ang niregalo ni Lord sa kanya, himala," said Ordinario's mother Edith, interviewed from their home in Quezon City. (A miracle befell my daughter. It's her birthday on February 25, and this is the Lord's gift for her, a miracle.) Ordinario's parents and her two siblings were busy packing things for their 7 a.m. Saturday flight to China to visit her, when they received the good news.
"Sobra pong tuwa namin. Malaki po ang pasasalamat namin sa government natin at sa government ng China na ganun ang nangyari," Ordinario's father Geronimo said in the same newscast. (We are overjoyed. We are also immensely grateful to our government and the Chinese government for what happened.) "Umaasa kami na sana tuluy-tuloy na," he added. (We hope this will lead all the way to her release.) In previous interviews by GMA News, Ordinario's relatives maintained that she was a victim of illegal recruitment, and was asked by her recruiter to bring along a baggage of heroin which she thought contained only cellular phones to be sold in Macau. The alleged recruiter and drug source, identified as Tita Cacayan, is already in the custody of the National Bureau of Investigation. She has repeatedly denied the Ordinarios' accusations. When she left for China, Ordinario left behind in the Philippines a husband and two children. Credo's wife also glad In a separate interview also on "Saksi", Credo's estranged wife also said she is relieved that her former husband's death sentence has been deferred. "Masaya po ako. Kahit papaano nabigyan ng pag-asa, nabigyan ng second chance ang mag-ama na magkita," Marie (not her real name) said in the newscast. (I'm glad. However little, my husband and child have been given some hope, a second chance to see each other.)
Marie added that as soon as their three-year-old child wakes up on Saturday, she will tell him the good news. Credo's mother is likewise scheduled to fly to China on Saturday morning to visit her son. Marie disclosed in an earlier interview on GMA News' "24 Oras" that she and Credo, who were married in 2004, got separated in 2008 after the latter became addicted to drugs. She added that before his arrest, Credo told her that he was working as a drug mule for an international drug syndicate, and had smuggled illegal substances into Vietnam as well in September 2008. - With Reuters report/JV/JMA, GMA News