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Spratlys in exchange for free freedom of drug mules?

I’m trying hard to understand why reason seem to have left the Aquino government in the case of the Filipinos who are in China’s death row for drug trafficking.

Aquino sent Vice President Jejomar Binay to Beijing last week to appeal to the leadership to spare the lives of Ramon Credo, 42, Sally Villanueva, 32, and Elizabeth Batain, 38, who were scheduled to be executed by lethal injection today.

The three were sentenced to death for smuggling 4 kilograms to 6.8 kilograms of heroin to in 2008. They were originally five but diplomatic sources said further investigations showed that the two had minor roles in the drug syndicate than the three.

Hours after meeting with Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Zhijun, top foreign policy maker Dai Bingguo and the president of the Supreme People’s Court, Wang Shengjun, we got a flash report through text: VP Binay saves OFWs from death row in China.

The text message said “Within hours after arrival in China, VP Jojo Binay reached an accord with Chinese government not to execute convicted OFWs and to conduct review of their cases. Binay argued that these Filipinos are themselves victims of drug syndicates. Mabuhay si Binay! Mabuhay ang ating mga OFW!”

Ethan Sun, spokesman of the Chinese Embassy declined to say if the postponement of the executions might lead to a commutation of the death sentence.The communique on Binay’s meeting with Chinese officials did not indicate when the sentence would be carried out, only that the execution was postponed “within the scope of Chinese law.”

We are sure that for the relatives of the three OFW,every minute that they are alive is a blessing.

It’s reported that China said the suspension of the execution was a consideration of a “friend’s request.” Binay said there was no concessions or promises made in exchange for the reprieve.

We really hope so that the interest of more than 90 million Filipinos is not put in jeopardy to save the lives of three drug traffickers.

The case of the Filipinos in the death row has always been in the list of items in bilateral discussions with China the past years but not marked priority until Aquino had to find a reason to justify his decision to follow the recommendation of the Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo to boycott the Nobel Peace prize awarding ceremonies to a Chinese activist.

DFA, in a recommendation to Malacanang said the Nobel prizes have been politicized by the United States in recent years and they have used it as a tool against China.

Malacanang saw it as an opportunity to ingratiate themselves to China whom they have been courting for “forgiveness” for their bumbling of the August 23 tragedy where eight Hongkong tourists were killed in a bus hostage incident.

But how were they going to justify it to the public? The bright boys of Malacanang saw the case of the Filipino drug mules in the list of issues with China and that’s what Aquino told media.

But what if China does not grant the request? Anxious to please the President, DFA sources said Ambassador to China Francisco Benedicto indicated in a meeting with Chinese officials that the Philippines is willing to drop the Spratlys in exchange for the freedom of the Filipino drug mules.

A source said it was disaster. Benedicto has been recalled. Malacanang is on the look out for a new ambassador to China.
***
At the DFA, foreign service officers are asking,”What’s this oxymoron of out and yet in? Change and yet same? Acting foreign secretary of foreign affairs vice a de jure secretary of foreign affairs on indefinite leave of absence?”

They are referring to Alberto Romulo who went on indefinite leave last Friday and designated Undersecretary for Policy Erlinda Basilio as acting foreign secretary.

Sources at DFA Romulo last Friday instructed Basilio not to attend the ASEAN meeting in Jakarta and instead send another undersecretary, Tony Rodriguez. If there’s anybody in DFA considered as ‘expert’ in ASEAN, it’s Basilio. She is the acting foreign secretary. Why should she not go? Why is Romulo who is outgoing still calling the shots on who should attend?

And, why is President Aquino not appointing a new foreign secretary now?

Published inForeign AffairsIllegal Drugs

64 Comments

  1. Dapat hindi na lang masyado nagmamakaawa ang ating mga pinuno para sa pagbitay ng tatlo na inakusahan na nagdala ng droga. Isang sulat lang at pakiusap sa pinuno ng China at kapag hindi pinakinggan ay hayaan ang gusto nila na parusahang kamatayan para sa tatlo na iyan. Tapos pagsabihan ang mga magulang na iyon ang batas nila at dapat resputihin. Pero lahat naman na mga nakakulong na tao na mula sa China ng dahil sa droga agad agad din ay bitayin. Patayin din silang lahat na mga intsik na nahuli ng dahil sa droga dahil malaking perwisyo din ang nagawa nila sa mga Pilipino. Gantihan na lang. Hanggang kailan tayo yuyuko sa China. Hindi tayo dapat na matakot kung hindi naman bumuti ang pakikipagrelasyon ng mga China sa ating bansa. Kasi hindi rin lang naman sila ang bansa.

  2. Tayo na lang ng mga pilipino nagpapa under sa mga chinese na iyan. Wala tayong makikita na purong dugo ng chinese dito sa ating bansa na naninilbihin sa pilipino. Pero narito sila sa ating bansa. Lalo ng kung doon sa China tiyak wala doon chinese na ang amo ay pilipino. Huwag matakot kung tumamlay man ang puso ng China sa bansang Pilipinas. Kung palayasin ang mga pilipino doon ay palayasin din ang mga chinese na narito sa ating bansa. O di kaya imasaker. Tutal madami naman ang mga killer na tao na pinoy. Tiyak hindi makakatanggi ang Pilipinas kung may hilingin man ang China. Kung tumanggi naman ang Pilipinas sa hiling ng China ay tatakutin na bibitayin ang tatlo. Ang tatlo na iyon na nakatakdang bitayin ay tiyak iyon ang bala ng China para sa paglalambot ng puso ng Pilipinas sa kanila. Dapat talaga hinayaan na bitayin pero dapat din na bitayin ang lahat na drug lord na nakakulong na mula China.

  3. Tedanz Tedanz

    Pangulo ninyo at mga bilyonaryo na mga may-ari ng mga malalaking Banko at mga businesses ay mga Chinese o lahing Chinese …… ano pa? Pati malalaking restaurant, mga hoarders, mga gambling lords, mga druglords … karamihan ay Chinese … ginawa na nilang extension ang inyong Bansa. Pati kultura nila inampon na rin ninyo … ano pa??????

  4. Ellen,

    That, i.e., giving up Spratly claims, occurred to me the minute I learned a stay of execution had been achieved among other concessions. I hope the concessions (plural) did not include giving up the Spratly claim…

    But to be perfectly honest, I think possibly not, even if we don’t think much of Aquino. Such concession will be political suicide.

  5. Tedanz Tedanz

    Aanhin ang China ang Spratleys …. buong Bansa kuha na nila … ano pahhhhhh ….

  6. patria adorada patria adorada

    tama lang si arvin95.itumba lahat ng drug lords na galing sa china kung bibitayin lang ang mga mules na filipino.at lalong hindi pueding ipagpalit ang mga spratly sa mga mules na yon.patayin din kung sino ang magpapalit ng spratly sa mga mules.kahit saang angulo hindi puede.

  7. Bitayin na lahat ng mga sangkot sa droga, manufacturers, pushers, mules at protectors. kukunsintihin pa ang mga gagong iyan.

    Huwag ng pag-aksayahin ng panahon iyung mga bibitaying mga Cayotee o drug mules sa na nahuli sa ibang bansa. Alam nila ang ginagawa nila. palusot lang nila iyung di nila alam na droga pala ang dala nila.

    Tama lang ang Tsina na ayaw nilang panganib ang mga citizens nila na malulong sa droga, kaya siguro nagpunta sa Pinas ang mga manufacturers na iyan.

    Huwag maging kunsintidor ang pamahalaan natin sa mga bibitaying mules sa China,importante na pagtuunan ng pansin iyung mga ibang OFW na nakulong sa ibang bansa na pumatay ng mga amo nila kasi di na makayanan ang pang-aabuso sa kanila.

  8. Di welcome sa bahay ko ang mga drug addicts, pushers at iba pang mga sangkot sa ipinagbabawal na gamot kahit gaano pa sila kayaman at katayuan nila sa buhay. Ipagtutulakan ko silang palabas. Kung magpupumilit sila todasin ko na.Iyung pamangkin ko nanghihingi ng tulong sa kalagayan niya sa buhay, di ko binigyan kasi adik,Kasalanan niya ang nangyari sa buhay niya.Mas mabuti pang mamatay na siya kesa habang buhay pa siyang mag-oobliga na pantustus sa bisyo na tutal wala ng pag-asang magbago. bigyan mo ng pera pambili lang niya ng droga.Magtiis siya.

  9. Mahirap naman yatang gawing prenda ang Spratley sa kaligtasan ng tatlong gagong drug mules. Pano magiging seryoso ang gobyerno sa pagsugpo ng illegal na droga kung kukunsintihin nila ang mga mules. Kung ipabitay na lang sila magkaroon na ng takot ang mga iba na magpuslit ng droga sa ibang bansa.Hihina ang negosyo ng mga manufacturers at magsasarado na sila kung wala na silang consumers.

    Iyan lang ang paraan para matigil ang illegal na droga.

  10. Magpapista pa yata ang buong Pilipinas sa pagdating ni Binay galing ng China dahil na antala ang pagbitay sa mules.Kalokohan. Ano ba ang ginawa ng mga iniligtas niya?

    Sa totoo lang baka nga galit pa iyung talong bibitayin sa kanya dahil Binay prolong their agonies in jail.Palagay ko mas gugustuhin na nilang mabitay kesa sa araw araw silang makatikim ng latay ng yantok sa likod.

  11. Isagani Isagani

    Just when Penoy says something positive about one issue, his actions on another shows how destructive he can be.

    This Spratly deal thingy is so far fetch although not altogether impossible with this administration. Are the Chinese that stupid to believe that pinas will drop its claim to the Spratlys in exchange for 3 drug mules?

    Penoy is not going to finish his term in office, if this kind of bungling continues!

    Paano na si Binay? Left holding the bag? What is he going to do when the heat turns on?

  12. chi chi

    Ang gulo naman ni PNoy as to the change of DFA leadrship. Ano ba, in or out?! Can’t make up his mind e si Berto lang yan!

  13. chi chi

    Bukod kay Ballsy, nakakuha yata ng additional powerful backer ang pi na Berto!

  14. chi chi

    Spartlys in exchange for the lives of the three convicted pinoy drug mules. Just the thought of that is a treason, Benedicto must be expelled from foreign service, not only recalled. Ang tanda-tandang gago!

  15. chi chi

    Postponed execution or life sentence in a China prison. E kung ako, mas gugustuhin ko pang barilin on spot kesa torture by the second ang mangyari sa akin.

    Misplaced compassion our leaders have. I hope they won’t bow to all the wishes of China especially on the issue of Spratlys.

    Worth ba na i-save ang buhay ng tatlo kung pag-aaralan ang lahat ng anggulo ng drug menace sa pinoy at bansa? I don’t have compassion for such crime, let the ax fall for the criminals to serve as an important lesson to those who would like to follow them. Leksyon ang kailangan, ang argument na kung papatayin sila ay marami hindi naman mahihinto mang droga sa Pinas ay kalokohan. Paanong mahihinto kung lalambot-lambot ang mga desisyon at parusa? Hindi sila mauubos pero meron magtatanda at matuto.

  16. chi chi

    #10 cocoy. That’s funny and absurd. Todo-todong political gimmick ang ganyan samantalang hindi pa alam ang pinal na desisyon ng China.

  17. Isagani Isagani

    From the Inquirer.net:

    MANILA, Philippines—Virginia Torres, chief of the Land Transportation Office (LTO), and 25 other LTO and police personnel are facing criminal and administrative charges for allegedly facilitating the registration of stolen vehicles, the Philippine Daily Inquirer has learned…

    The charge against Torres, a shooting range buddy of President Benigno Aquino III who appointed her LTO chief in July last year, was for violation of Article 171 of the Revised Penal Code for falsification of a document by a public officer, according to the Espina report to PNP Director General Raul Bacalzo.
    ________

    So telling on the type of friends penoy have.

  18. I have learned all these years that its better to trust in the leadership we chose and pray they know what they’re doing. Its better to look at the big picture rather than specific details because the issue requires a broader perspective.
    —————————-
    Is China playing PH card?
    By Ricardo S. Malay

    MANILA, Philippines—The question facing the Philippines is what concessions it will give China in exchange for Beijing’s decision to postpone the execution of three Filipinos convicted of drug trafficking.

    The answer: We will pay a stiff price but through skillful diplomacy and tested wisdom, we can navigate a solution favorable to our national interest.

    Philippine-China relations are generally improving but some contentious issues remain. The Spratlys dispute is one of them.

    Still, we can discover a way out of the Spratlys impasse by concentrating on the oil deposits of the territory where China has a more flexible position that hardly poses a threat to Philippine sovereignty.

    Quietly dropping our Spratlys claim, as we did with the Sabah claim, in favor of sharing the wealth that lies beneath the ocean with China opens a window of accessible opportunity and leeway.

    Our strategic location and cultural affinities make us natural partners this side of the Pacific. We can learn to live in China’s shadow but never be its ward, much less its hostage, so long as we play our cards well. The way they do.

    http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20110221-321388/Is-China-playing-PH-card

  19. Samar vs. Balay. Score? Samar – 1; Balay – 0

    Hep, hep, wait. Si Mar Roxas naman ngayon ang ipapadala sa Taiwan para aregluhin yung diplomatic faux pas nitong kailan lang. Bigat ng pressure niyan, si Binay nakatawad ng execution. Mission impossible yung kay Roxas, hindi na niya maibabalik sa Taiwan yung mga drug suspects na ipinatapon natin sa mainland.

    Panay pa rin ang saksak sa likod ni Mar.

  20. The charge against Torres, a shooting range buddy of President Benigno Aquino III who appointed her LTO chief in July last year, was for violation of Article 171 of the Revised Penal Code for falsification of a document by a public officer, according to the Espina report to PNP Director General Raul Bacalzo.
    ________

    So telling on the type of friends penoy have.
    ————————–

    There’s something fishy here, the lady just got appointed, you can’t set up something this syndicate (connections and all) in such a short time? hmmmmm, something doesn’t look right…

  21. In another source, it says there are around 96,000 Filipino OFWs in Taiwan. Considering how their industries are set up, getting rid of the Filipino workers would make a substantial impact.
    The OFW phenomenon cannot just be viewed always as a negative, given that its a sorry sight to see fellow Filipinos move to other countries to find work if this leads to the establishment of Filipino communities with significant members abroad we might even be extending our sovereignty in a way, granted we play our cards right.

    ——————————–
    Though the shortage of labor in Taiwan is more and more serious, but the capitalists are not willing to improve the working conditions to attract the native people, because it is costly to do so, on the other hand, they want to hire more foreign workers for their salaries are much smaller than the native workers.

    Filipinos are one of the largest groups of migrant workers in Taiwan. Some are employed in companies as technicians, some in hospitals and clinics, some as musicians in entertainment centers, others in construction projects, still others as domestic helpers, and the majority of them in manufacturing companies. But since the number of legally accepted workers is limited, a great majority of them remain illegal. Among the Filipino migrant workers, fishworkers are also many in number. Approximately there are about 30,000 Filipino fishworkers in Taiwan.

    http://material.ahrchk.net/charter/mainfile.php/east/5/

  22. Isagani Isagani

    Eto pa isa:

    Yung kapalpakan sa diniport na Taiwanese nationals sa China, humihingi ng areglo si penoy, si Mar ang hahawak.

    From ABS-CBN News:

    “Former Senator Mar Roxas on Monday said he will ask for understanding but will not apologize to Taiwanese officials for Malacañang’s decision to deport 14 Taiwanese to the People’s Republic of China.”

  23. bayong bayong

    drug courier ipinapagtanggol ng gobyerno, dapat gumawa na na batas ang bansa natin na legal na ang drugs para lahat tayo maging drug addict na, para kapag idedepensa natin ang mga kababayan natin na mahuhuli sa kasong drug eh may justification tayo. mabuhay si cong singson dahil drug user.

  24. We hold some aces up our sleeve, its just a matter of playing our cards right, the big boys upstairs understand the “big picture” more than we do, kaya nga nandun sila. 🙂

  25. isagani,
    yan ka na naman, analyze what you read in the light of logical sequence and timeline context. you may be surprised that the readers here are more intellectually equipped than you probably have pressumed, and can hardly tolerate the diabolical insinuations of the putrid insults to the species such as these.

  26. parasabayan parasabayan

    I give more credit to Pnoy and his cabinet to figure out a solution to this China problems: the execution of the 3 Filipinos and the Taiwanese prisoners. But the Chinese are wily. There is no free lunch. Meron at merong kapalit. I do not think we can equate these three drug mules to a giving up out claim to the Spratleys though. Masyado namang lopsided. Ang nakikita ko ay gusto nilang makakuha ng mga projects sa atin, mining etc or maybe increased importation. Baka pa gusto nilang makuha ulit yung NBN-ZTE deal or something similar to it.

  27. parasabayan parasabayan

    Cocoy, I share your attitude towards drug addicts, drug mules and pushers. Dapat talagang mabigat ang kaparusahan sa mga yan. Unang una, kung drug addict wala na talaga halos pagasang magbago. Maliban na lang kung mayaman at kaya niyang magbayad sa rehab. Yung mga mules naman, living on the edge ang mga yan. Mas naaawa ako sa mga ito dahil sa pangangailan nila ng pera at trabaho, nagpagamit sila. I call this stupidity more than anything else. But to the drug lords and pushers, they should all be killed talaga! No compassion for them! Marami na silang buhay na sinira.

  28. parasabayan parasabayan

    On the LTO lady, parang may naaamoy ako dyan ah. Bumabawi si Malditas kay Pnoy. I also like that Malditas is finally catching the culpits. Never mind if these are allied to Pnoy or not. Sa wakas, kumikilos na rin siya. Unlike before, she only caught the small fishes and let go of the big ones. Just the same, a little too late for her to be just doing her job just now.

  29. psb,
    I see drug addicts, drug mules, and even pushers as victims actually. These people at times don’t have a choice, nobody wakes up in the morning and suddenly decides to be an addict, a mule, or a pusher? but these damn drug lords are actually making a business out of it. Whats so troubling is that its proven fairly easy to catch addicts, mules, and pushers but almost impossible to convict the manufacturers and drug lords.

  30. re OFW issues.
    If we can actually monitor or program the flow of OFWs to each host country in such a way that we know whether the population has reached critical mass or level of expertise or influence to the economies of their host countries are substantial enough to impact such economies and that depriving these thereof would result to even more problems, this could even be our strength. Weaknesses can be turned to strength, problems can be viewed as challenges.

  31. parasabayan parasabayan

    May this death sentence so publicized send a clear message to every Filipino not to ever put themselves in drug related activities. There is no way out!

  32. May this death sentence so publicized send a clear message to every Filipino not to ever put themselves in drug related activities. There is no way out!
    ————
    True. While it is comforting to know that our government will do everything in its power to help them (as a family should), they should also accept the fact that there are limitations and take responsiblity.
    I have yet to see a convicted drug mule say “thank you mr president for your effort but its my fault and i’m willing to take responsibility for my actions and the consequences thereof.”

  33. the problem with us pinoys is that we can;t seem to live up to what we contiously repeat in mass “mea aculpa”

    mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa.

    The repetition of this admission of guilt adds to its severity. We do not say “The devil made me do it, the devil made me do it, you can bet the devil made me do it,” but accuse only ourselves for our sins. We beat our breast with a closed fist, like the tax collector who prayed from his heart, “God, be merciful to me a sinner!” (Luke 18:13) Concerning the gravity of these words and this gesture, Cardinal Ratzinger wrote:
    We point not at someone else but at ourselves as the guilty party, [which] remains a meaningful gesture of prayer. … When we say mea culpa (through my fault), we turn, so to speak, to ourselves, to our own front door, and thus we are able rightly to ask forgiveness of God, the saints, and the people gathered around us, whom we have wronged. (The Spirit of the Liturgy, p. 207)
    Rev. Romano Guardini explained that the meaning of this gesture of contrition depends upon it being done properly:
    To brush one’s clothes with the tips of one’s fingers is not to strike the breast. We should beat upon our breasts with our closed fists. … It is an honest blow, not an elegant gesture. To strike the breast is to beat against the gates of our inner world in order to shatter them. This is its significance. … “Repent, do penance.” It is the voice of God. Striking the breast is the visible sign that we hear that summons. … Let it wake us up, and make us see, and turn to God. (Sacred Signs)
    The Douay Catechism (from 1649), a question-and-answer catechism on the doctrines of the Church, included a chapter expounding the essence and ceremonies of the Mass. It explains that the reason for striking the heart is “to teach the people to return into the heart” because it “signifies that all sin is from the heart, and ought to be discharged from the heart, with hearty sorrow.” (p. 125)

  34. tru blue tru blue

    For arguments sake “the deal is actually; China mercifully spare the three drug mules in exchange for the Spratlys”. IF I was one of the drug mules; I’ll convince the other two that we’d rather be executed than Pinas turn over Spratlys to the Chinese. Languishing in a chinese prison is a death sentence anyways, so why suffer for life! For sure, they will be treated as real HEROES for their nationalistic sacrifices than most of the corrupt and greedy Generals combined. And if these were my friends or relatives or not, hell I’ll give them 21 gun salutes regardless.

    Would I do it if I was really in their shoes…I will.

  35. jawo jawo

    If this concession is true, then China will literally get something out of nothing. Not bad for a day’s work. Imagine leveraging garbage for something like a territorial claim. Garbage that if returned to the Philippines will only be an added asset to the likes of the Arryos……plain ang simple SHIT !!

  36. rose rose

    malungkot man isipin ang “death” sentence…nagkasala si Ordinario..alam niya ang maging parusa niya but she did it anyway…kaya she deserves the sentence..batas yan ng China, sa China siya and she broke the law of China..teacher siya she understands kung ano ang ibig sabihin..pero she dud it anyway..I am not for capital punishment sa ating bayan as we are a Christian country…but China is not…we hope that hindi matuloy ang bitay…pero kung mangyari kasalanan niya…victim siya ng poverty sa atin? that is a poor reasoning…marami sa atin ang below poverty level..pero they survive, naalaala ko tuloy, Ellen, ang sagot ng taxi driver…noong tinanong mo siya…”alam mo ba na bawal lumiko sa kalyeng yon…”oo ma’am kaya lang baka makalusot”..baka malusot…

  37. rose rose

    corr: baka ma ka lusot.
    incidentally…bawal seguro ito pero baka makalusot so I would like to wish you a happy brthday..2/22..

  38. chi chi

    #39 jawo. Mismo! Ok lang kung gagawing conjugal property ang Spratlys at dun ikakalaboso for life sina Gloria, Mike, Mikey, and Pidal mafia, Dyokdyok at mga koraps na hindi magpapatiwarik. Gawin din yun na libingan ng mga koraps na nagpatiwarik at namatay ng natural death at nang hindi asiwa ang mga bayani sa LNMB. Kaso ay China lang ang magbabasura ng toxic sa Spratlys, not a fair deal ano? 🙂

  39. sai sai

    i think this whole thing started because the media, particularly the broadcast media, was irresponsible yet again. when they interviewed the mother of the female drug mule, the report made it appear that the dfa had been somewhat remiss with their duties in helping an innocent victim. the reporters didn’t bother to initially check if the drug mules were indeed innocent. what they showed was that an uncaring gov’t neglected to help an innocent ofw who was victimized by a drug syndicate. these media people played the sympathy card without bothering to check all the facts thus slanting the news to favor a certain point of view. only days later did they come out with the news that the drug mules involved actually knew what they were carrying. by then the gov’t was in a damn if you do, damn if you don’t situation.

  40. Actually I don’t see anything so bad about an alliance with China, it will be good for us in the long run. In the months to come China might even be one of the last remaining stable economies, liquid, with no Islamist threat internally, and a scene of massive growth. Already the local landscape is changing and there are actually more European companies setting up shop there.
    I read in one of their local papers that they are even encouraging people to hire Filipino domestics as a way of improving the English speaking skills of their children.
    We only have to play our cards right.

  41. Noy gaining balance on Chinese tightrope

    POSTSCRIPT By Federico D. Pascual Jr. (The Philippine Star) Updated February 22, 2011 12:00 A
    TRIANGLE: There are indications that last week’s flare-up on the political ménage à trois (literally a “household of three”) among the Philippines, China and Taiwan is being tamped out with increasingly deft handling by Malacañang.

    After unsteady first steps on the diplomatic tightrope, President Noynoy Aquino appears to have started to gain balance when he:

    (1) Dispatched Vice President Jojo Binay to Beijing to plead for clemency for three Filipino drug mules on death row. On a mission as an official, Binay was able to secure a stay of execution of the doomed Filipinos.

    (2) Sent former Senator Mar Roxas through the back channel to Taipei to explain the deportation of 14 undesirable aliens to China and discuss other common concerns. As a private citizen on a personal errand for the President, Roxas is expected to gain a measure of success, too.

    The amateurs in the President’s team should be told again and again that the Chief Executive is the sole spokesman of the country in foreign relations.

    Unless authorized, all underlings of the President cannot spread speculations, enunciate new or imagined policies, or expand the scope and meanings of existing policy and presidential statements.

    As for media, we should keep in mind that Donald Lee, head of the Taiwan Economic and Cultural Office in Manila, is not an ambassador to Manila and should not be addressed or described as “ambassador” or even “de facto ambassador.”

    Similarly, TECO is not the Taiwanese “de facto embassy” nor is it a “consulate.” There is no such diplomatic establishment in Manila.

    Same thing with Perez. As MECO head, he may be earning more than the average ambassador, but that does not confer on him the title of “ambassador.” Neither are Lee and Perez “envoys” as they are sometimes erroneously called.

    We in media should be aware of these nuances so as not to exacerbate the delicate situation of at least three death convicts in China, as well as some 70,000 skilled Filipino workers and almost 20,000 domestic help in Taiwan.

    http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=659763&publicationSubCategoryId=64

  42. so Roxas and Binay are obviously gunning for the presidency come next elections? hope they know the concept of “friendly competition”

  43. perl perl

    DFA sources said Ambassador to China Francisco Benedicto indicated in a meeting with Chinese officials that the Philippines is willing to drop the Spratlys in exchange for the freedom of the Filipino drug mules.
    pano naman pumasok sa kukote nitong si Benedicto na ipagpalit ang spratlys sa 3 drug mules? malapit ba yan kay Binay? khit naman sinong balut vendor hindi papayag dyan!

  44. perl perl

    kugn totoong ang spratlys ang dahilan ng pagpayag ng china sa kaso ng mga pinoy drug mules, hindi pwdeng hindi alam ni Binay yan at siguradong sabit sya dyan… hindi bat impeachable case yan?

  45. An American and Chinese citizen were on Facebook arguing political ideology. Finally the American citizen said; “Well at least in this country I have the right to go out in public and tell everybody how f**ked up the U.S. is without worrying about being oppressed!” “We have the same right in China”, the Chinese citizen retorted. “Oh really”, the American replied. “Yes”, the Chinese citizen replied back. “Just the other day I was on the streets of Beijing telling everybody how f**ked up the U.S. is.”

  46. rose rose

    narinig ko ang sabi ni Mar Roxas kanina…ang punta niya sa Taiwan ay hindi “to apologize”…ang punta niya ay para sa pagunawaan ng dalawang bansa…a dialogue for a better understanding of each other…hindi ba mas maganda ito? listening to one another and coming to terms with each other? sana magtagumpay siya…

  47. Jake Las Pinas Jake Las Pinas

    Hindi ba puede exchange of prisoners nalang? Dami din naman nakakulong na mga insik sa atin( kung hindi pa naka takas).

  48. xman xman

    Mukhang tsismis lang yang Spratly in exchange of three drug mules.

    Dahil sabi ng philstar ay prisoner swap ang mangyayari kaya pala hindi tinigok yong tatlong drug mules.

    Magaling ang maniobra ni Binay. Yong masamang balak nila Noynoy at Mar laban kay Binay ay sumabog sa mukha nila…hahahahha

  49. Magaling ang maniobra ni Binay. Yong masamang balak nila Noynoy at Mar laban kay Binay ay sumabog sa mukha nila…hahahahha
    ——————–

    paano naging maneobra ni binay to, ni hindi nga siya nabanggit, ni hindi nga niya alam?
    ssan ba ang pangalan niya dito? basahin nga ulit. may link naman… 🙁

    MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines and China will soon begin negotiations for a “Transfer of Sentenced Persons Agreement” aimed at providing the government with an additional tool for assisting Filipinos in distress, including those in jail in China principally on drug-related cases.

    Foreign affairs spokesman and concurrent Assistant Secretary for Legal Affairs Eduardo Malaya said yesterday the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) welcomed the call of Sen. Francis Escudero for the government to forge such agreements with countries hosting large numbers of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

    “We welcome the call of Sen. Escudero for the DFA to conclude (the agreements) and we thank him for his support for our work, and indeed, the DFA will prioritize this type of agreement as additional tool for assisting our Filipinos in distress,” Malaya said in a press briefing.

    http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=660026&publicationSubCategoryId=63

  50. anong masamang balak? meron ba? ito talaga si koala boy o…

  51. xman xman

    ang masasabi ko sayo ay basahin mo ang Tribune noong nakaraang dalawang araw. Hindi nila ilalagay yong nalaman nila tungkol kay Binay, Noy, at Mar kung wala silang basehan.

  52. MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines and China will soon begin negotiations for a “Transfer of Sentenced Persons Agreement” aimed at providing the government with an additional tool for assisting Filipinos in distress, including those in jail in China principally on drug-related cases

    Jug, I think that’s not a bad idea for those facing the death sentence. But for the likes of Singson, I am all for his being put to death in China. 😛

  53. rose rose

    sa Hongkong nahuli si Singson..is Hongkong part of Beijing China or still a British Colony..Taiwan is considered independent kaya hindi sila sakop ng Beijing? noong araw pa way back in 1968 progressive na ang Taiwan or then called Formosa…
    ..Singson was already sentenced pero very light lang compared to Ordinario…ang dala niya na droga was for his personal use not for sale…kanyang kanyang palusot…ksasa si Singson nakalusot…

  54. Rose,

    HK is now Chinese colony…

  55. tru blue tru blue

    Sab-it junior was metted an 18 year sentence for his crime in Hongkong; even gave a high and low five to my three year old grandson. To ensure I was not hallucinating like Kadapi of libia; re-read the news again…crap! it’s only 18 months!

    Seriously, I tend to agree with Senior Sab-it’s claim that his junior was pranked pretty good, the drug was planted. I mean, the dude had everything going for him and he’s not that stupid to ruin his life in bringing small amount of drugs to HK. He is still quite stupid for not re-checking his belongings prior to departure.

    The good question now is; who are they gonna kill when he comes out of prison in just 18 moons?

  56. Sigurado yan, trublue. Kung yun lang kerida ng kerida, pinitpit ang ari, yan pa, anak yan.

    Sabi siguro nung Hong Kong judge, leche kayo pinagpapatay ninyo yung Hongkongers dyan sa Luneta, pakakawalan ko itong killer na pusher pa para malintikan kayo lalo diyan. Belat!

  57. parasabayan parasabayan

    Tongue and Tru Blue, ni ayaw pa ngang mag-resign sa pagka-tongressman ng isang ito kahit nasentensiahan na siya. Gusto din niya ng immunity katulad ni bansot. Gee, ang daming kriminal dyan sa tongress!

  58. parasabayan parasabayan

    I do not think someone did him in. He hid the drugs in his underpants. Do not tell me tulog siya noong linagay yung drugs sa underpants niya? He carried the drugs knowingly.

  59. tru blue tru blue

    @62 psb: If your hunch is the real deal, then junyor is really, really stupid and durog na talaga and ulo.

    I stick with my analogy. And let me turn around and put you on the spot here: You are well to do in the US, no problems whatsoever, just enjoying what life has to offer; Now, why would you ruin your life and knowingly carry illegal drugs to a place like HK, or Thailand for that matter?

    The night before I exit Pinas; I religiously inspect my personal stuffs to ensure nothing is concealed illegaly.

  60. You missed out on one thing, the original package was 26 grams, how it was reduced to 6 grams is mysterious. Additives daw?

    My first hunch stands, it is part of the Triad shipment recovered in Samar/Marinduque and the impurities along with it is the proof that it IS the triad stuff they will be selling back. No effing addict will ingest coke that’s 75% diluted much less take it to his travel and go through all the trouble of purifying before personally consuming it.

    Remember he has a pending bill in Congress that seeks the immediate disposal/incineration of confiscated drugs. He can have full control of the tons of Triad stuff (and all other products of future drug busts) if he includes that in the proposed law in the guise of burning or disposing of it.

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