Inihayag ng Department of Foreign Affairs na sinisikap nito na maiuwi sa Pilipinas ang mga labi ng dalawang Pilipinong binitay sa China dahil sa kasong pagpupuslit doon ng ilegal na droga.
“The Philippine Consulate General in Guangzhou is working on the repatriation of cremains of the two Filipino nationals,” saad ni DFA spokesperson Tess Daza at dagdag niya, umaasa umano ito na maiuuwi ang mga labi ng dalawang Pinoy bago matapos ang linggo.
Kung matatandaan, Ipinatupad ng China ang parusang kamatayan sa dalawang Pinoy noong November 24, 2023.
Sa inilabas na pahayag ng Chinese Embassy, iginiit nito ang kanilang zero-tolerance stance pagdating sa mga kaso tungkol sa ilegal na droga.
“China unswervingly adheres to the law in combating drug-related crimes, always maintaining zero tolerance and a high-pressure deterrence, and resolutely punishing in accordance with the law,” ayon sa pahayag.
Nanindigan din sila na naging patas ang paglilitis sa dalawang Pilipino.
“Chinese side fully guaranteed the various procedural and the litigation rights of the two Filipinos in accordance with the law, and provided the necessary facilities for the consular officials of the Philippine side to perform their duties,” patuloy ng embahada.
Una rito, sinabi ng DFA na naaresto sa China ang dalawang Pinoy noong 2013 na may dala umanong 11 kilo ng shabu na nakatago sa DVD player. Nahatulan ng korte ang dalawa noong 2016.
Sinabi ng DFA na ginawa nila ang lahat para matulungan ang dalawang Pinoy.
“The Government of the Republic of the Philippines further exhausted all measures available to appeal to the relevant authorities of the People’s Republic of China to commute their sentences to life imprisonment on humanitarian grounds. There were also high-level political representations in this regard,” ayon sa DFA.
“Our repeated appeals were consistent with the laws and values of our nation, which put the highest premium on human life. In the end, the Chinese government, citing their internal laws, upheld the conviction, and the Philippines must respect China’s criminal laws and legal processes,” dagdag nito.
