At the end of the article I placed a poll with a question "Do you think China will commute the death sentence of the 3 Filipinos?" 100% of those who participated answered "NO".
Two of the convicted Filipino drug traffickers are scheduled to die by lethal injection on February 21 and the other 1 on February 22. This could be the first ever execution of a convicted Filipino drug trafficker in China.
Well, we will not find out yet because the Chinese "postponed" the scheduled execution. This happened after Philippine vice president Jejomar Binay was finally allowed to officially plea in behalf of the Philippine government by allowing the vice president to visit China.
Part of the joint statement by the Philippine "plea" delegation and the Chinese officials says,
"The two sides expressed the determination to work together and make joint efforts in further strengthening the relationship of strategic cooperation."
Wow! What a vague political statement. What are they trying to say?
"...strengthening the relationship of strategic cooperation."
My question is why did China postpone the execution of the 3 Pinoys? What did the Binay "plea" delegation promised the Chinese government in exchange for the postponement? I hope Binay did not promise the moon and stars to the Chinese.
I am hoping that a real, fair, and mutual cooperation was the deal. But can the party that is the one that pleads expect a fair exchange?
This could also be a test if Binay has the skill of a high caliber diplomat.
Maybe the deal is that the Chinese will increase it's vigilance against drug trafficking from their own end and the Philippines will do the same. This is as far as it can get.
But can the Philippines do its part? There's just so much money that can be made out of illegal drugs. It can easily corrupt anyone.
Illegal drugs is really menacing and brings unspeakable evil to a country and its people.China suffered a lot from drug addiction that the country was once called the "nation of addicts". The culprit is a nice looking flowering plant called opium poppy or papaver somniferum.
Remember the Opium Wars in the 19th century where the Chinese lost the not one but 2 wars against Britain and was forced to sign a treaty where China was compelled to allow importation of opium into China monopolized by the British East India Company?
Capital punishment was in effect and Lim Seng was executed by firing squad and televised on national TV.
The Philippines, in fact, was the first to execute a convicted Chinese drug trafficker and not the other way around.
Maybe, just maybe, a lesson will be learned out of all of this.
OFWs are suppose to bring pride to their families and the country, not shame and disgrace.
