bitay sa 3 pinay sa china

[judE_Law]

Very Nice Article:


A Sad Day for All Filipinos
March 31, 2011


Yesterday was indeed a sad day for all Filipinos, whether at home or in foreign lands, but especially for the forlorn families of those three unfortunate souls executed in China for having been sentenced to die for a crime they may have committed by force of need and circumstance, deceit or even betrayal.

Catholic bishops in this country and overseas led in mourning the death of three Filipino drug mules who were executed in that country via lethal injection yesterday.
At the same time, the prelates issued a warning for other innocent Filipinos similarly situated that they should view that tragic scenario as a lesson for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to be extra careful abroad.

Cotabato Archbishop Orlando Quevedo said OFWs should make sure they know the laws of the country they are in to avoid troubles.

"We cannot control the administration of justice in other countries," said Quevedo, former president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines CBCP).

"I also wish to extend my deep condolences to the families of those executed and I pray for the eternal repose of their souls," he said. "I also pray for all those OFWs who are under great suffering at this time."

Kidapawan Bishop Romulo dela Cruz also said he is saddened by what happened and expressed his condolences over the death of the three Filipinos and Filipinas.



"I'm sorry for the families who are now deeply bereaved and in grief. I hope that this will also serve as a lesson for the future that our OFWs should be more careful," he said.

"We already know that there are laws in each country about drugs...this is a lesson for all to be careful and to also respect the laws of other nations," dela Cruz added.

Ramon Credo, 42, Elizabeth Batain, 38, and Sally Villanueva, 32, were executed by lethal injection after they were found guilty of illegal drug trafficking.

The execution took place despite earnest appeal from the Aquino administration to have their death sentence commuted to life.

While we and our people appreciate the last-ditch efforts of our government to come to the rescue by taking some last-minute appeal to the Chinese government for some form of clemency or reduction of sentence, the frantic gestures came too late and there was no way the guilty verdict could be reversed or even modified.

It could have been different if the government intervention or legal action was made available in their defense while the case was still being heard in the process of litigation before the court of law.

We wonder why nothing was ever heard of their cases in the early stages when the Philippine government could have done something positive, such as providing them legal counsel for their defense or intercede on their behalf. How come the Philippine Embassy was unable to make a full report to Malacañan Palace through the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) of what's happening to the country's modern-day heroes, the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who are supposed to be responsible in keeping their beleaguered country afloat amid economic reverses and depression?

Aren't these officials monitoring the misfortunes of their countrymen around the world? What's happening to our foreign diplomats, foreign service attaches, foreign policy experts and the like? We are not even informed of the working conditions of OFWs, their misfortunes, misadventures and social or economic woes abroad.

All we know is that they leave the comforts of home to earn dollars in foreign shores at a great sacrifice. What are we doing for them in return? What is government for if it cannot answer the call for help when our OFWs are in dire need of help at a time they need it most?


http://www.ndb-online.com/mar3111/A+Sad+Day+for+All+Filipinos