China Execution of Filipino Can Still Be Appealed – Binay

All hope is not lost in the latest case of China execution of another Filipino sentenced to death because of drug trafficking. Vice President Jejomar Binay said that the last hope lies on Chinese President Hu Jintao’s nod to reprieve the Filipino of his scheduled execution this week.

Binay in an interview in ANC said that he hopes China will consider the pleas of the families and of the Philippine government. He said that executing the Filipino during the festive month of December is a blow to the Filipino’s culture and their family values. The Filipino who was caught smuggling 1.4 kilograms of heroin in 2008 is set to be executed on December 8, the day the Feast of the Immaculate Conception is celebrated.


The Vice-President also confirmed that a letter from President Benigno Aquino III was sent directly to Chinese President Jintao asking the sentence of the said Filipino to be lowered from death to life imprisonment. The contents of the letter contains some of the Filipino peoples sentiment of the
China execution being dated on the Christmas month of December.

On the lighter note Binay revealed that two other Filipinos who were caught on drug charges had their sentences lowered to life imprisonment. In 2008, six Filipinos were caught bringing drugs to China and the unnamed Filipino, who at the request of Binay have his identity refrained from being exposed publicly for the sake of his family, is the only remaining person whose faith still hangs in the balance.

But, not everyone is as lucky as the two whose sentenced were dropped to life imprisonment. Earlier this year, on March 30 three Filipinos were given death by the Chinese government. Elizabeth Batain, 38, Sally Ordinario-Villanueva, 32 and Ramon Credo, 42, were the other three who were caught in 2008. The three were caught smuggling at least four kilograms of heroin. In China, smuggling more than fifty grams of heroin and other drugs is punishable by death.

On the past incident of Batain, Credo and Villanueva the best thing that the Philippine government could settle was have their execution move for more than a week. The question remaining in everyone’s mind is: Would the unnamed Filipino suffer the same fate as the three or will efforts and prayers from the Filipinos back home enough to save his life?

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