MANILA, Philippines - Vice President Jejomar Binay said today that he has already asked permission to return to China to personally appeal again for the three overseas Filipino workers, who have been scheduled for execution on March 30.
Binay said that the instruction from President Benigno Aquino III was for the Philippine government to exhaust all possible means to prevent the execution of Ramon Credo, Elizabeth Batain and Sally Villanueva, who have been convicted for drug trafficking.
"Nagpaparating tayo kung kailangang pumunta doon uli eh pero wala pang abiso," Binay said in a radio interview.
He said that according to President Aquino, the government must continue appealing to China up to the last minute of the scheduled execution of the three Filipinos.
Credo, 42, was convicted for smuggling 4,113 grams of heroin on Dec. 28, 2008, in Xiamen. Villanueva, 32, was convicted of smuggling 4,110 grams of heroin on Dec, 24 2008, in Xiamen.
Batain, 38, was convicted of smuggling 6,800 grams of heroin on May 24, 2008, in Shenzhen.
Binay said yesterday that he will write the Chinese government a letter, appealing to stay the execution of the three Filipinos.
He said he will ask China for another review of the Filipinos' cases.
Last February 18, Binay went to China and met with its officials, which resulted to the postponement of the Filipinos' execution last February 20 and February 21.
The Philippine government, meanwhile, is asking the Chinese government to allow the Filipinos' families to visit them before the execution.
Binay has asked Filipinos to pray for the Credo, Villanueva and Batain.
Prayer vigils
Migrant workers' rights group Migrante said its members has started simultaneous indoor prayer vigils for the three Filipinos.
John Monterona, Migrante Middle East regional coordinator, said the prayer vigils begins today up to March 30.
"We are still hoping, though a chance of another postponement of execution is very slim, the three will be spared and instead a lesser penalty will be considered by the Chinese authority," Monterona said.
He said the case of the three Filipino drug mules and the more than 200 others in death row in China serves as a wake up call for the Aquino government to exert all efforts to provide decent jobs in the Philippines.
"Unemployment remains a perennial problem, to include the never-ending soaring prices of commodities and services, and yet government social services and welfare programs for the indigents have diminished--pushing Filipinos to gamble working abroad," Monterona said.
Not in public
An official of the Department of Foreign Affairs told The Philippine Star that the execution of three Filipinos will not be done in public.
The official, who asked not to be named, said China’s criminal procedure provides that executions shall be announced but not held in public.
The law provides that the judicial officer directing the execution shall verify the identity of the convict, ask him if he has any last words or letters and then deliver him to the executioner, the official added.
After the execution, the court that issued the death sentence shall notify the family of the convict.
The next of kin have two options to dispose of the remains: cremation or its repatriation to the habitual place of residence, particularly if a foreign national.
"The repatriation may take weeks after the carrying out of the sentence," the official said. (With Dennis Carcamo)