By Be3larmino Dabalos Saguing
Rome, Italy
Email : bdsaguing@gmail.com Mobile: +39 3356880613
New item: Philippines appeals as Filipina set to be executed in China http://zeenews.india.com/news/world/philippines-appeals-as-filipina-set-to-be-executed-in-china_858199.html
A 35-year-old Filipina woman who had been sentenced to death for drug trafficking, but she was expected to be killed within days. She was one of two Filipinos arrested for smuggling over 12 kilogrammes of high-grade heroine into China in 2011,
Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman Raul Hernandez told the press "President Benigno S. Aquino III has written a letter of appeal to Chinese President Xi Jinping requesting a commutation of the death sentence, Her family has already been informed of the Supreme (People's) Court's decision and they request that their privacy be respected at this very difficult time," The Pres. Benigno C. Aquino's letter was delivered to Chinese diplomats on Thursday, but the execution was still expected to be carried out between tomorrow and Tuesday next week.
The Filipino male companion caught with her had also been handed a death penalty. However it came with a two-year reprieve, which means the sentence can be commuted.
It could be remembered that in March 2011, China executed three Filipino drug mules despite repeated pleas by the Philippine government and the Catholic church.
Molre than 10% of the Philippine population are working abroad and most of them in need financial difficulties are targets of drug traffickers as mules to sneak the illegal merchandise into several countries China among them. Some of the drug mules do it willingly, but many have been tricked to do it unknowingly.
This could be be another incident that could mar the already stormy relationships between Philippines and China.
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