Gov't not remiss in warnings vs drug smuggling in China

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine government kept its distance over the issue of helping out Filipino workers jailed in China for slipping in illegal drugs.

Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Director General Dionisio Santiago said the government has done its part to warn overseas Filipino workers on the risk of getting involved in drug syndicates abroad.

“A far as the educational campaign is concerned, PDEA has never been remiss in reminding and warning citizens, especially overseas Filipino workers, not to accept requests to carry baggage from strangers because these might contain dangerous drugs and turn them into unwitting mules,” he said.

Santiago revealed there are 69 Filipinos currently jailed in China for various drug-related offenses.

Most of them had acted as “mules” of drug syndicates by delivering the illicit packages to prearranged contacts in China.

Santiago said the issue about Filipinos being used as drug mules was raised in several international forums.

Santiago defended the PDEA over concerns of Filipino mules.

He said PDEA is closely coordinating its efforts with its counterparts from the China National Narcotics Control Commission.

The Philippine government earlier said it would not extend legal assistance to the arrested Filipino drug mules in China, citing the order of President Arroyo to be “very tough on the drug issue.”

Santiago said according to the latest report, the number of Filipinos jailed for drug offenses in China has increased.

Earlier reports said there are 52 Filipinos jailed in China for drug offenses but the latest report made by the Department of Foreign Affairs revealed a much higher number at 69.

Most of them were arrested at different airports in China. Twenty-four were caught bringing suitcases that contained dangerous drugs and were all recruited either directly or indirectly by Nigerians.

Eight Filipinos were caught with concealed drugs inside their bodies while the remaining 37 tried to sneak in the drug packages in other ways, he said.

Santiago said most of the Filipino offenders are women, two of them pregnant.

The Filipino drug mules were arrested from January to July at the airports of Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Beijing from their respective flights from Hong Kong, Macau and Malaysia.

All the arrested Filipinos pleaded guilty to drug trafficking. Seven of them were convicted and sentenced to death in lower courts.

Santiago said most of them were enticed by drug syndicates to travel with visas and free plane tickets on top of huge allowances of $1,000 to $2,500 with hotel accommodations just to bring in the packages of illegal drugs to prearranged contacts in China.