Remains of drug courier executed in China arrive in Isabela

The remains of Sally Ordinario-Villanueva, one of the three Filipino drug mules executed last week, arrived before noon Friday in her home province of Isabela in Northern Luzon. A report on dzBB radio said neighbors and relatives of Villanueva in Isabela became emotional as they saw the vehicle transporting her remains. Her father, Peter Ordinario, said bringing Sally's remains to her hometown of Echague was a way of fulfilling one of her last wishes. Ordinario said his daughter had wanted to be with her two children in Echague. The report said Sally's remains will then be brought to Jones, her husband's hometown where she would be buried. Sally's remains were taken out of her sister's house in Quezon City at 1:45 a.m. Her relatives sported white mourning cloths on their heads as they began the journey, the report said. Last Thursday night, Sally’s family received several visitors including Russell Contemplacion, daughter of overseas Filipino worker Flor Contemplacion, who was executed in Singapore in 1995. A dzBB report said Russell advised the relatives to stay strong. Villanueva was one of three drug mules executed in China last March 30. Also executed were Filipinos Ramon Credo and Elizabeth Batain. Her remains arrived in the Philippines from China Wednesday night, and were initially brought to the house of her sister in Batasan Hills in Quezon City. Sally’s family and neighbors had held a vigil at the house in Batasan Hills from Wednesday night until Thursday morning. Several neighbors and friends crowded the Ordinarios’ house to pay their respects to Sally, prompting her family to defer bringing her remains to Isabela by a day. Earlier, her family admitted being sore at Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III for questioning the support being given by the government to Sally and two other executed drug mules. Sotto was quoted in an article on online news site philstar.com as saying: “Anong mensahe ang ibibigay nila (gobyerno) sa taumbayan, yung tulungan ang drug trafficker? Mag-isip isip naman sila." Sotto was referring to the three Filipinos who were then facing death in China for drug cases. Villanueva's kin on Friday dared Sotto to visit their house in Quezon City and see how poor they are, insisting Sally was a victim and duped into bringing the drugs into China. Also, her kin added that if she were indeed a drug mule, they would have had a comfortable lifestyle. Villanueva’s kin vowed to pursue charges against Mapet Cortez (a.k.a. Tita Cacayan), the one who they said duped Villanueva into bringing a bag containing drugs into China. — LBG, GMA News