PH to ask China to postpone OFW’s execution

Vice President Jejomar Binay hopes to go to China to ask for the postponement of the 35-year-old overseas Filipino worker’s (OFW) execution on December 8 for humanitarian reasons.

The execution of the death sentence of the OFW, who was convicted for smuggling heroin, was upheld by China’s Supreme People’s Court early this week.

According to a Philippine Daily Inquirer report, Binay is still waiting for China to give him the go-ahead to make the trip and deliver the original copy of the letter of President Benigno S Aquino to President Hu Jintao in Beijing.

A copy of the letter has been with the Chinese Embassy in Manila since Wednesday.

Binay said the Philippines respects China’s laws and is also against drug traffickers. He hopes that the OFW whom he believes is “not the head or part of any criminal group” would be imprisoned for life instead, being also a victim of drug syndicates who exploit the poor.

According to the Inquirer, both the Chinese Embassy and the DFA said the decision of China’s Supreme Court is final.

The vice president appealed for prayers for the OFW so that the execution would not push through as scheduled on December 8, the Solemnity of Mary, the Immaculate Conception.

The Immaculate Conception is the principal patroness of the Philippines, the biggest Roman Catholic country in Asia.

For more information, see Philippine Daily Inquirer Binay seeks postponement on execution of Filipino drug trafficker in China.

See also article on China Supreme Court’s decision.

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