Senator urges gov't prisoner-exchange arrangement with countries hosting OFWs
Cebu, February 23 (PIA) -- Senator Chiz Escudero urges the government to work out a prisoner-exchange arrangement with countries hosting overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) thru theDepartment of Foreign Affairs (DFA) by way of a bilateral treaty.
Escudero, chairman of the Senate committee on justice and human rights, reiterated this call in the light of the case of Ramon Credo, Sally Villanueva and Elizabeth Batain – Filipinos condemned to die for drug trafficking in China.
Their executions were temporarily suspended after China’s Supreme Court extended a “special arrangement” regarding their cases.
The senator said arrangement with other countries could be similar to the RP-Spain Transfer of Sentenced Persons Agreement that aims to ensure the effective reformation and rehabilitation of Filipinos serving sentences in Spain.
Escudero added there are many OFWs serving long sentences and are awaiting death sentences in countries where no family can visit them.
"This is already a scourge to both the convicted and their families. The anguish of not being able to talk to or see their families forever is already a sentence that amounts to death,” Escudero added.
The senator also said that the agreement should not be on a quid-pro-quo-basis, which means that all prisoners should be transferred to their country of origin regardless of the number of foreign nationals in Philippine prisons.
Records from the DFA show that there are more than 3,000 Filipinos abroad who are either in detention or facing criminal prosecution.
Of these, 70 percent are embroiled in immigration-related offenses and will be deported after serving brief sentences. The rest are in custody for crimes such as theft and drug trafficking.
In China, 78 Filipinos are convicted for drug charges and awaiting death sentences.
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency has recorded 630 Filipinos currently serving jail sentences worldwide for transporting drugs, mostly as mules for drug lords. Sixty-two percent of this number are female.
Escudero said it is the government's duty to look after the welfare of its citizens irregardless if they are guilty or not.
“Let all available remedies and steps be exhausted to afford our fellows the services of their government,” the senator concluded. (PIA-7/Minerva BC Newman)
Cebu Province: Central gravity of drug syndicates
By: Hazel F. Gloria
Cebu City , Feb. 23 (PIA)— Cebu Province is the Central gravity of drugs syndicate due to its location that is surrounded by water.
Thus, said Philippine Drug and Enforcement Agency (PDEA-7) Regional Director Adrian Alvariño during the AGIO-7 forum yesterday.
“Syndicates preferred places with possible sea ports in order for them to easily get away right after their illegal drug operations,” Alvariño continued.
Alvariño also revealed that right now, five barangays in Cebu City are seriously affected by illegal drugs namely: Barangays Suba; Pasil; Ermita, Dulho, Fatima and A. Lopez.
Alvariño further said Shabu is the top drug choice among users and pushers in these places with a price of P7000 per gram.
Alvariño told reporters that in 2009-2010, they arrested more than 1,000 drugs personalities and last year they conducted 2 buy-bust operations.
PDEA-7 also admitted that they still need the cooperation of the public to help them identify the drug users and pushers to lessen the illegal drug problems in Cebu.(pia7/hfg)
PDEA-7 intensifies Task Force team
By: Hazel F. Gloria
Cebu City , Feb. 23 (PIA)—The Philippine Drug and Enforcement Agency (PDEA-7) intensifies its implementation of the Task Force Drug Couriers in Central Visayas .
PDEA-7 Regional Director Adrian Alvariño explains that this team was created in order to address the problem on drug smuggling and drug mules in the country.
On February 8, 2010, former Pres. Gloria Arroyo signed the Administrative Order 279 creating an inter-agency task force for the prevention of Filipinos being used as drug couriers by international drug trafficking syndicates.
The mission of the Task Force is to deter, prevent and protect Filipinos from being exploited or victimized as drug couriers by persons or syndicates in trafficking illegal drugs.
Alvariño said that most of the syndicates prefer to recruit OFWs as couriers to reduce the risk of getting caught themselves in exchange for large sums of money.
Usually the syndicates are using Filipino women to transport illegal drugs for lesser detection and mild suspicion, Alvariño continued.
Since 1993, a total of 689 Filipino drug mules have been arrested in different countries such as China , Macau, Hongkong , Malaysia and Taiwan .
China has a wide market of illegal drugs and record shows with 90% of arrests made of Filipino drug couriers happened in China .
This is a worldwide problem that needs to be addressed by all government agencies involved in cooperation and coordination, he added.
On the other hand, Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA-7) Information Officer Fenita Berdon reveals that as of now, there is no OFWs from Cebu that is involve as drug mules. (PIA-7/HFG)