Palace: Govt extending help to Pinay facing death in Malaysia

The Philippine government is now extending assistance to a Filipina facing possible execution over drug-related charges in Malaysia, Malacañang said Saturday. Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said the Philippine Embassy in Malaysia is also keeping abreast of developments surrounding the case of Aida Dizon Garcia, 51. “We are already acting on that. The Philippine Embassy in Malaysia is extending assistance to Garcia. We know the specifics of her case and the DFA is keeping tabs on developments," Valte said on government-run dzRB radio. She did not elaborate, however, on specific further steps the government plans to take. The Philippines is still reeling from the execution of three drug mules – Sally Villanueva, Ramon Credo and Elizabeth Batain – in China last Wednesday. “Paglilitis na ito, masusing binabantayan ng DFA through our Philippine Embassy in Malaysia kung ano ang progreso ng kaso (The case is in court. The DFA through our Philippine Embassy in Malaysia is watching the progress of the case)," she said. Earlier this week, Garcia, a college lecturer, had pleaded not guilty at the High Court in Malaysia to charges of bringing in 11.9 kg of cannabis in November. Malaysian authorities arrested Garcia at about 5:30 a.m. of Nov. 27 last year near the south-bound toll plaza along the North-South Expressway. If convicted, she faces the mandatory death penalty. The report said Garcia then asked for a court-appointed lawyer, claiming that she could not afford to hire one. Garcia, who had apparently boarded an express bus in Kuala Lumpur and was heading south, was arrested by a team from the Bukit Aman narcotics division. — LBG, GMA News