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Media’s skewed coverage of execution of Filipino drug mules

A relative of one of the executed drug mule in China, snapped at a journalist at the airport,”Are you happy with what you are doing?”

Noli de Castro and other broadcasters and journalists who feasted on this story of the drug mules should answer that.

In my prayers for the families of Sally Ordinario-Villanueva, Ramon Credo and Elizabeth Batain for strength as they try to cope with the loss of their loved ones, I also ask that God touches the conscience of TV networks personalities who sensationalized the deaths of the three to boost their ratings.

The networks obviously wanted to replicate a Flor Contemplacion situation, a media event in 1995 that violated all rules of journalism, ignoring the facts of the case and reported based on emotions.

I watch ABS-CBN and Noli de Castro was a turnoff. His attempt to influence viewers towards his distorted view was obvious.

In the man-on-the street survey of TV Patrol last month whether the three deserved to be executed, Noli de Castro couldn’t hide his disappointment that 80 percent answered in the affirmative. Last Monday, they asked their viewers if they thought that the government had done enough for the three, 45 per cent said “No” and 55 percent said “Yes.”

De Castro still couldn’t take it. He said, “Halos tie lang.”

He didn’t stop there. He said the government (was he referring to the Department of Foreign Affairs?) failed in explaining to the public the case of the three drug mules. “May gusto kasing pumapel kasi.”

Yes, there’s one who is trying to exploit the situation: De Castro and his ilk.

I’m reprinting here the column of former UP dean of the College of Law, Raul Pangalangan, “Drug mules: Even in grief, we are confused” in the Philippine Daily Inquirer. It puts the issue in the proper perspective.

Even our unrequited prayers for the three executed Filipinos show that we fundamentally misunderstand the problem that we face. We were half-hearted in objecting to the death penalty. We called the drug mules OFWs when in fact they were not. We lump them together with Flor Contemplacion and Sarah Balabagan, and fail to discern the differences in their cases, or ask if we could have timely asked the Chinese courts to mitigate the penalty. Protest banners call for “Justice for Credo, Villanueva and Batain.” I’m sure the Chinese will say, “Well, that’s exactly what we gave them!”, and argumentatively our only rejoinder will be to impose our own standards of justice upon the Middle Kingdom.

Of course we must grieve that three Filipinos, forced by poverty to serve as drug mules, have been executed in a foreign land. As a nation, we must ensure that our government reaches out to vulnerable Filipinos on trial before foreign courts and ensure that they have proper legal assistance. As a people, we must look inward as well, and ask ourselves why millions of our countrymen sacrifice so much just to give their families a decent life, while top dogs in government corporations reward themselves obscene sums and top generals leave office with million-peso “pabaons.” All these, while a passive nation led by its ombudsman looks the other way.

In sum, we empathized viscerally but maybe our brains lagged behind our hearts. We need to reconcile our official position which is to plead for mercy, with our public rhetoric which is that of moral outrage. To start with, we should have been outraged at the death penalty itself. We were not, because deep down within the Filipino heart, we actually approve of it in the first place. Look at the historical record. We abolished capital punishment in the 1987 Constitution “unless, for compelling reasons involving heinous crimes, the Congress hereafter [restores] it.” And in 1993, restore it Congress did, as a facile response to the rise of kidnap for ransom gangs. In April 2001, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo effectively suspended the death penalty by automatically commuting all sentences. By 2003, Arroyo lifted the de facto moratorium. In early 2004, Pope John Paul II asked us to stop all executions, and Arroyo obliged. In June 2006, on the eve of Arroyo’s visit to the Vatican, she signed RA 9346 abolishing the death penalty once again. There have since been periodic attempts to restore the death penalty.

For us, the death penalty debate has been mere political football, bereft of any deeply held moral consensus. And for the current football season, the death penalty argument would not have swayed the Chinese, who apparently have the highest rate of executions worldwide and, even worse, are instinctively resistant to international pressure. But handled well, we could have capitalized on the global consensus against the death penalty, the same consensus that we mobilized to save the life of Sarah Balabagan, the Filipina in the United Arab Emirates who stabbed and killed her employer who was raping her.

Two, there is a stark difference between the cases of Contemplacion and Balabagan vis-à-vis the drug mules in China. For Contemplacion, accused of murder, we argued that she made her first confession without the benefit of counsel. For Sarah, a rape victim, we argued self-defense. In none of our pleas to China do we even plead the innocence of the convicted Filipinos. For the Xiamen and Shenzhen executions, the best we could muster is to fix the blame on the drug traffickers fronting as job recruiters, because the actual drug carriers were apparently complicit in the crime.

Three, I sense an initial ambivalence by our government on the issue of drug mules on trial abroad. Did we earlier give them legal aid during their trial? Even after conviction, was there any room for the judges to mitigate the penalty? Was there any room for executive clemency for the executive branch to pardon or reduce the penalty? The one-month stay of execution gained by Vice President Jejomar Binay was a feat, because China is itself building up its “rule of law” institutions, and appeals from the political branches of the Philippines addressed to China’s judicial agencies were an uphill battle to start with. In other words, the execution of convicted drug traffickers is what we call “national treatment,” i.e., how China treats its own citizens similarly situated, and what we were asking for was special treatment for our nationals.

Fourth, I am troubled by protest banners that call for “Justice for OFWs on death row.” Genuine OFWs must object to being lumped together with the drug mules. For certain they have similarities: the pressures of economic insecurity, their vulnerability in an alien land, the spirit of self-sacrifice for spouses, children and parents. But the similarities end the moment the drug mules carry contraband on their persons and enter the Naia. By putting them all in one basket, we expose bona fide OFWs to increased monitoring (paid for by increased regulatory fees) for crimes not of their own making, and to increased harassment abroad by hostile and predatory airport officials.

Moreover, we confuse justice with mercy, or to be more precise, the Philippine brand with the Chinese brand of justice. We were surprised that in the Chinese Supreme Court, decisions can be final. We have been so used to eternal flip-flopping, the Filipino notion that due process of law means endless process. We also mistakenly thought that an unabashed plea for mercy unadorned by legal argument would suffice, and that human drama would trump legal doctrine as handily in China as it does in the Philippines.

Published inIllegal DrugsMedia

90 Comments

  1. Labor exporter: ‘3 executed Filipinos should not be called OFWs’
    Philippine Daily Inquirer

    While commiserating with the families of the three Filipinos put to death in China for drug trafficking, a recruitment agency leader Thursday said the term “OFW” (or overseas Filipino worker) should not be used to refer to the convicts.

    Alfredo Palmiery, president of Federated Association of Manpower Exporters Inc., Thursday said Sally Villanueva, Ramon Credo and Elizabeth Batain, who were executed by lethal injection on Wednesday, had no record of being OFWs.

    “[They] were never hired by any legitimate agency, they had no working contracts [and] working visas, and they were lured into transporting illegal drugs by a foreign syndicate preying on jobless Filipinos looking to make a quick buck,” Palmiery said in a statement.

    “It is an insult to the millions of OFWs all over the world to call the three OFWs as they had no intention to work in China and were merely convinced to travel as tourists to bring contraband into China,” he said.

    Palmiery pointed out that legitimate OFWs had all the necessary documents to prove that they were legally hired to work at government-approved jobs, and that “as OFWs, they are ready to comply with the laws of the host countries.”

    He said the executions were “the fault of the government offices that allowed these drug mules to leave the country with the contraband hidden in their suitcases.”

    “How these drug mules were able to leave undetected … is something our airport officials have to explain,” he said.

  2. Migosh!

    DeCastro must be told that the three mules paid the ultimate price for their crime… Time to bury these 3 mules and leave their families alone to grieve.

    Instead, go after the living, the illegal drugs manufacturers, the traffickers, the traders, the shit sellers, the mules recruiters, the etc etc etc but time to put the lid over the caskets of the three dead mules.

  3. From Tongue and Phil posted in an earlier thread:

    TonGuE-tWisTeD – March 31, 2011 1:17 am

    I avoided watching TV, news especially, the whole day. Since yesterday, I’ve had enough of those networks who milked every opportunity to outscoop the competition by virtually converting the 3 families’ houses into their own remote studios. I can’t imagine those grieving families had to endure being captured live by several cameras, klieg lights frying and blinding them the whole day while eagerly waiting for the first shot at the poor people’s reaction when the sad news about their relatives’ fate is finally announced.

    Too much for me and my children. For the first time, I allowed them to watch Cartoon Network, Hero Channel, Disney Channel and Nick Jr. the whole day.

    Phil Cruz – March 31, 2011 3:04 pm

    Tongue,

    I had exactly the same reaction as you. Yesterday’s TV newscasts was disgusting.

    All the networks were like vultures. Scampering, scooping, edging each other out trying to squeeze out every last drop of tear from the crying, shrieking, grieving families and viewers. Exploiters to the bone.

    Couldn’t stand it. I switched to HBO.

  4. @anne, “Instead, go after the living,” yes, the “living” inside our airports. they pose danger to all traveling Filipinos. why are they not looking for them?

  5. Oo nga Reynz! What good are these three dead mules to these vulture journalists anyway? Even if they leave a microphone and tape recorder 24/7 inside their caskets or harass their family 24/7, those guys won’t talk anymore.

    If they are so concerned about the illegal drugs and the plight of mules, these journalists should chase the bloody living criminals instead for interviews! Who knows, the journalist that can squeeze a story out of the living criminals might win the Philippine version of the Pullitzer Prize.

  6. From Miguel Valbuena:

    On the case of the 3 that was meted a death penalty in China, lumalabas na parang kinokunsente
    natin sila sa kanilang kasalanan.

    Kung ano man ang alibi nila, the fact remains na they were apprehended with more than 4kilos of drugs very much more than the 50grams limit set by the Chinese law for death
    penalty.

    Sana tumahimik na tayo at sana huwag na mag-offer si P-Noy kung ano mang assistance sa familya, mga anak o kaanak na mabigay sa tatlong binitay. Kawawa man sila pero alam nila ang kanilang kahihinat-nan pag nahuli sila.

  7. Good Lord! Everyone is feasting on the carcasses of the 3 dead mules! Media and politicians, with the way they are feasting on these carcasses, are actually doing everything so the families of these mules would pay the extreme price too…If they stop feasting on these carcasses, there’s no doubt the populace will also stop the vulture act!

  8. parasabayan parasabayan

    I listened to the news for a little bit and when it was played again and again I got so tired.

    I was struck though by the sister of Nancy Ordinario who was blaming the government for lack of help on defending her sister. How can these people even expect the government to defend the sister to the fullest when she committed a crime. Kung ano na lang sana ang tulong na naibigay ng gobierno, dapat magpasalamat din sila. Mabuti nga at natulungan pa sila. How many lives would be destroyed by the contraband they brought to China if it went through? Wala akong pakialam sa mga intsik but they are human beings too and they are concerned on the welfare of their own people. Mabuti pa sila meron ganun. Sa atin ano ang ginagawa natin sa mga drug lords and drug pushers, namamayagpag sila dahil nakakalusot sila sa mga ginagawa nila.

  9. I don’t know what deCastro’s motivations are but surely, even he must know that feating on dead carcasses aren’t a pretty topic to discuss on air
    !

  10. PSB, but that’s only because media folks and politicians, free riders are providing the family with a red carpet venue!

  11. Kasalanan pa pala ng gobyerno kung bakit nabitay ang tatlo dahil di daw sila tinulungan ayun sa kapatid ni Ordinario.

    Malyusef naman. I sympathized with the family dahil nabitay ang mahal nila sa buhay.Nahuli silang gumagawa ng labag sa batas, ipagpaliban muna ang pagbitay dahil iniimbistigahan pa ba si Cacayan? Hindi si Cacayan ang nahuli sa China, kung siya man ang nag recruit sa kanila, may kasalanan din ang binitay dahil sila ang nagdala ng droga.Nasa maleta raw, imposible naman na di sila mag suspetsa bakit mabigat ang maleta na wala namang laman pa.

    Sa palagay kaya ninyo minsan lang nilang ginawa? Baka madalas at nagkaton na nahuli sila at minalas. Ano kung nakalusot? Anong perwesyo ang maging dulot ng illegal nilang gaawin, maraming tao ang mabibiktima nila na maburyo sa buhay.Kaya nararapat lang na bitayin sila.

    Bakit pa natin gagastusin ang pera ng taong bayan pambayad sa kanilang depensa kung nahuli sila. mas marami ang nangangailangan kesa sa kanila.Ayun may pa scholar pa ang mga naulila nila. Nasaan ang justices diyan? Gagawa ka ng katarantaduhan pag mahuli at mabitay sagot ng gobyerno ang pag-paparal sa iyung mga anak. Magandang deal pala. Para na ring magnakaw ka at isuli ang kalahati ay okey na.

    Sinulsulan pa ng MIGRANTE ang mga pamilya di naman sila OFW kundi mga drug mules. May mga dala pang placards. Naku naman!! Ano ba ang ipinaglalaban ng mga MIGRANTE? Sana huwag ng nakisawsaw sa isyung pagbitay kung pa pogi points lang tuatal wala naman silang magawa.

  12. Ako kahit kapamilya ko kung nasangkot diyan sa Droga ay ipapabitay ko pa.Sana naman dapat pag-aralan ng Gobyerno kung sino ang nararapat na tulungan sa mga kasong iyan.Pasalamat pa nga tayo sa China at binitay na sila ng mabawasan naman ang mga sangkot sa droga kung di man sila malipol lahat.

  13. May panawagan pa na ipagdasal daw sila. Kayo na lang. Ni rereserve ko ang dasal ko sa nga taong mararangal at marunong sumunod sa batas..

  14. parasabayan parasabayan

    Kaya nga Cocoy. Ako rin nakikiramay ako sa mga pamilya nila dahil sa kamatayan ng tatlo but giving them all the media mileage as much as they had to air their grievances against the government is a little too much. Even giving the scholarships sends the wrong message. Sige mag-drug mule kayo at kapag nahuli kayo, bahala na ang gobiernong magpaaral sa mga anak ninyo. Ito ang ugali natin na dapat hintuan natin. Maawain masyado tayo. Hindi natin nakikita ang BIG PICTURE. Ngayon, naging sikat na sikat si Binay dahil sa attempt niya na tulungan itong tatlo. Naging hero pa si Binay. This is a very misplaced heroism, if you ask me.

  15. Marami pa raw silang bibitayin na mga drug mules,sana pinagsabay sabay na silang lahat ng tapos na ang problema ng minsanan lang.

  16. PSB,
    OO nga pera ng gobyerno naman ang ginastos ni Binay. Kung gusto nilang tulungan ang mahihirap sana inilagay na lang ang pera pam pa scholar sa mga deserving student na anak ng mga mahihirap na lumalaban ng patas sa paghahanap buhay.

  17. parasabayan parasabayan

    Cocoy, sa China isa lang muna yata, kaya lang I heard na mahigit na 100 ang nililitis.

  18. Al Al

    Bakit hindi nalang ipalibing ng gobyerno sa Libingan ng mga Bayani itong mga drug mules? Lubus-lubusin na nila.

  19. parasabayan parasabayan

    Al, tama ka.

  20. parasabayan parasabayan

    Mas grabe naman sa Malaysia. Yung may dala lang ng marijuana eh death penalty na. WOW!

  21. Mike Mike

    I’m saddened not for the 3 “OFW’s” but to their family left behind, especially their children. There’s one who’s graduating today with honors, and her mom wouldn’t be there with her to pin her medal. Really devastating for the kids.

    I hope this will be a lesson to those who plans or attempts to be used as drug mules just to earn quick bucks.

  22. Mike Mike

    I was shocked to learn that the suspected recruiter of 2 of the three drug mules were released by the NBI. She was already in their custody and still, they let her (on bail?). Disgusting!

  23. Mike Mike

    ABS CBN and other networks sucks big time. Instead of straightforward reporting, they editorialized it.

  24. Mike Mike

    # 18

    Al, baka magkarron ng pag asa ang mga Marcoses na matupad ang kanilang pangarap na mapalibing sa LNB si Apo kung nagkatotoo yang sinabi mo. 😛

  25. Mga gago talaga Sila Mike, Ayun sinisisisi si Cacayan. Walang pakialam ang China diyan kay Cacayan dahil hindi siya ang nahuli nila. Baka sabihin ng Chinese government sa Pinas di kayo ang bumitay kay Cacayan Basta’t nabitay na namin ang tatlong may dalang droga papasok sa bansa namin.

  26. Mike Mike

    # 9

    Anna, every time one of their own is in the news, they try very hard to downplay it and report it with less “impact”. Remember these: Ces Drilon kidanpping; Wowowee Stampede; Ted Failon’s wife suicide? Compare how they report these 3 incident to the 3 executed “OFWs” is far and wide.

  27. Mike Mike

    # 25

    Cocoy, yan na nga eh. Buti pa ang China, they know how to implement their laws samantalang dito sa atin nahuli na nga ang supect nakakatakas pa. 🙁

  28. patria adorada patria adorada

    mules are usually stupid,go after the the owner instead.

  29. norpil norpil

    si arroyo pala ang nagpahinto ng death penalty sa pinas, paano ngayon ang marami na nangangarap na mahatulan siya.

  30. freddie1120 freddie1120

    i agree with you guys. nakita ko rin sa tv pati yung pag iyak noong kamaganak close up pa na parang drama sa mmk. most of the time used was just about these drug mules. ma drama. cheap naman ng ating tv programming.

  31. ocayvalle ocayvalle

    si arroyo pala ang nagpahinto ng death penalty sa pina, paano ngayon ang marami na nangangarap na mahatulan siya..!!norpil..

    oh don`t worry. GMA was shot dead..by his avid loyal former defense secretary.. Gen angelo reyes..!! using a 45 calber handgun..!!!!

    happy april fools day everyone..!!! good morning..

  32. rose rose

    may limit din ang awa, hindi ba? boundless and uncondiional ang awa at pagmamahal ng Dios pero ang sabi we have to repent..I wonder kung ipinalabas sila would they have repented? baka instead na sa bag ang dala nila na puno ng droga..maleta na o kaya balik bayan box pa…matuto na sana those who are in this kind of business..

    norpil: kaya nga niya seguro pinatigil kasi natakot siya na siya ang unang maging victim…takot siyang mamatay..

  33. chi chi

    Dapat pasalamat kay Pnoy ang mga pamilya ng tatlo sa gesture nito na pagtulong dahil sa totoo lang ay hindi tama ang ginawang pagtulong ng gobyerno sa kanilang mga anak na convicted drug mules.

    Pagtuunan ng masusi ang mga tao ng customs sa airport, bakit nga ba nalalalusot ang drugs sa kanila, meron bang “radio”?

    It is good that Palmiery cleared the status of the three for the sake of our OFWs. Thank you, Fred.

  34. chi chi

    Si Kabayad kadiri to death! Gosh, trying so very hard to make a rating for himself!

  35. chi chi

    #15 cocoy:Marami pa raw silang bibitayin na mga drug mules,sana pinagsabay sabay na silang lahat ng tapos na ang problema ng minsanan lang.

    So cruel you, cocoy…but I see your point! 🙂

  36. chi chi

    #18. Hahaha! Kaya ako ay wala ng tutol na ilibing ang da Apo sa LNMBetc. 🙂

  37. chi chi

    #26. Agree, cocoy…ang galing mo!

    “Mga gago talaga Sila Mike, Ayun sinisisisi si Cacayan. Walang pakialam ang China diyan kay Cacayan dahil hindi siya ang nahuli nila. Baka sabihin ng Chinese government sa Pinas di kayo ang bumitay kay Cacayan Basta’t nabitay na namin ang tatlong may dalang droga papasok sa bansa namin.”

    Problema ng Pinas si Cacayan, hindi ng Tsina. Pinakawalan ng NBI si Cacayan, baka sya ang ‘bumubuhay’ sa opisina. 🙂

  38. chi chi

    #30. norpil, kaya nga nya pinahinto e.

  39. chi chi

    Dean Raul Pangalangan’s column “Drug mules: Even in grief, we are confused” is an objective and a cold hard truth analysis of the case of the three pinoys.

    Thanks Ellen for sharing with us this excellent piece.

  40. rabbit rabbit

    whats with these network,, sa mga interview parang gusto pa nila maipahayag ng mga kamag anak ng bictima na sissihin ang gobeyrno na ang may kasalanan…nasusuka nga ako sa mga news mga ilan araw na ito,, nilalabas na parang mga bayani mga ito,, at kung may nag text na bakit nila ginagawang bayani mga ito,, puro depensa sila na hindi raw kayso dahil pilipino sila kaya pinagtatangol nila,, panu namn un mga droga kung naka lusod ,, ilan namn mga tao ang madadamay at mamatay..
    nasaan ang moral ng mga networks???

  41. Mike Mike

    @ rabbit: # 40

    “nasaan ang moral ng mga networks???”

    Na wetpu nila. 😛

  42. abc abc

    Overseas Filipino Workers(OFWs), mga Pilipinong nagtratrabaho sa ibang bansa.

    Si Juan, Maria at Ramon, nagtratrabaho sa ibang bansa, tinagurian silang mga OFW dahil nagpapadala ng pera dito sa Pinas.

    Si Juan nagtratrabaho bilang karpintero sa ibang bansa(Saudi) ay isang OFW; si Maria nagtratrabaho bilang DH sa ibang bansa(Qatar) ay isang OFW , si Ramon nagtratrabaho bilang drug mule sa China ay hindi OFW?

    Si Juan ay kabilang sa “pilgrimage”, nagpa-iwan, nakakita ng sponsor, isa ng OFW. Si Maria, nag-tour sa Qatar, nakakita ng sponsor, isa ng OFW. Madaling maka punta ng ibang bansa kung tourist ang visa mo at makakapili ka pa ng trabaho. Kung work visa naman, ma suwerte ka kung nasunod ang kontrata.

    Walang OA, ABS-CBN o GMA, nang dumating dito sa Pinas na isa ng malamig na bangkay, dahil sa sakit sa puso ang isang kasamahan sa Saudi. Malamig na Umaga Pilipinas ang sumalubong sa kanya. Pisong abuloy pambili man lang ng kandila galing sa mga minamahal nating mga pulitiko walang natanggap.

    Kahit patay na, nakatulong pa rin sa mga mahal sa buhay, mga laman-loob naibenta sa mga nangangailangan.

    Mga drug mules, kapit sa patalim, masakit mang tanggapin sila ay mga kriminal. Sila ay nagtratrabaho sa ibang bansa, nagpapadala ng pera, OFW pa rin.

  43. parasabayan parasabayan

    Abc, I will not consider a visitor in a country with the hopes of landing a job an OFW. If one has a contract to work in a foreign country with all the necessary documents to support that, yan ang OFW. For all we know, all the papers of these drug mules were all doctored by the the immigration personnel who are on the payroll of the drug lords. These drug mules were so naive to even think that without any skill they can be employed in a country with a billion people in it! Hongkong is different and I also in Macau but not in mainland China. These drug mules knew what they were getting into. Kaya nga lang, nagbakasakali na makalusot o kaya kapag nahuli, “maaawa” ang mga hukom sa kahirapan ng buhay nila sa Pilipinas. China still has so much poverty too. This is why China has to be super strict so they can have order and economic gains. Sana ganyan ang Pilipinas. Singapore had done so much because they were managed with strict laws too. Subukan mong magtapon ng kahit na upos ng sigarilyo sa Singapore, ikukulong ka! Tayo lang naman sa Asia ang ganyan. Always the “bahala na” attitude. We never think of the repurcussions of our actions. Sige lang ng sige.

  44. Iilan lang ang Nigerians na narito sa Pilipinas. Maliban sa mga expats ng ilang malalaking kumpanya gaya ng electronics at mining, wala kang makikitang Nigerian na nagtatapon ng kwarta sa mga mamahaling hotel, kundi sa isang apartment kung saan niya ibinabahay ang isang babaeng nakilala niya sa mga mail order bride websites.

    Napakahina naman ng mga taga Immigration, NBI, at PNP kung hindi nila matukoy ang mga sindikatong ito.

    Money laundering, white slavery, 419 scam, at itong drug trafficking ang ikinabubuhay nitong mga Nigerians na ito at hindi na iyan bago. Bukong-buko na yang racket nila sa buong mundo, eto at dito sa bansa ng mga tanga, tulog sa pansitan at madaling lagyan na lang sila umuubra.

    Baka naman alam nila kaya lang mahusay makisama kaya “madulas”?

  45. Ang laging palusot ng mga otoridad e “Malaking international syndicate” daw ito. Kundi ba naman mga tanga e mas madali ngang i-penetrate yung malaking sindikato dahil kaya ng undercover agent mag drug mule, wala namang special talent o skill na kailangan diyan.

    Ang hanapin nila yung protector niyan, biruin mong makapagpasok ng heroin dito, tapos mailalabas pa uli? Puro sa airport ang daan?

    Yung money laundering, specific ang target, yung mga Pinay na asawa ng Nigerians nakapangalan ang bank account o remittances galing sa heroin market countries.

    Pati yung 419 scam nila, hanggang ngayon may mga nabibiktima pa rin mga Pinoy – kadalasan OFW. Matapos ma-hack ang email address mo simula ka nang kontakin at sisilawin sa milyun-milyong dolyar na magiging iyo daw, pero hindi mapapasayo kailanman dahil imaginary lang. Ang kapalit ay maliit na halaga lamang (mga $2000-$4000 kumpara sa milyones na PREMYO mo), at ikaw ang kakainin ng sarili mong greed.

  46. rose rose

    waws there ever a case na may Filipino na binitay din? or is this the first case…I will not be surprsed kung gagawin pang pelikla..Ang title? “Nagkasala Ako” and let this be a lesson to us all. Sinong nagsabi na “Crime Does Not Pay”? This is a perfect example that Crime Does Pay and the Price is Bitay!

  47. rose rose

    International Syndicate, kaya ok? international na pala ang kasalanan…
    ..corr sa taas..was there ever a case…

  48. glitterglee glitterglee

    With regard the media, I guess, it would always be that way in the Philippines. But sabi nga, from the moment na pumili ka ng topic, you are no longer objective, because at the back of your mind, you know you want to say something with that matter. In the Philippine’s case, let’s accept na yun ang bumebenta sa mga pinoy. We want dramas, we like to sympathize others even it means indirectly tolerating their illegal acts (remember when Former Defense Sec. Reyes died?)

    On the other hand, I don’t get it why some people are blaming the government. Hindi naman natin sila binoto to look after us, literally. We have our own minds and own decisions. Maraming taong mahihirap na marangal ang trabaho, nakapagpatapos ng mga anak, yung iba, nagiging abogado pa ang anak. Our fate depends on how we carry ourselves despite poverty and problems.

  49. chi chi

    “It is an insult to the millions of OFWs all over the world to call the three OFWs as they had no intention to work in China and were merely convinced to travel as tourists to bring contraband into China,” -Palmiery

    In short, turista sila on tourist visa!

  50. rose rose

    ang gawawa ay ang mga anak niya…the stigma of their mother having been executed will be theirs to carry all through their natural life…ang bigat na parusa sa kanila na wala naman silang kasalanan…a cross that they will have to bear…

  51. abc abc

    Ang tawag dati sa mga nagtratrabaho sa ibang bansa ay OCW(Overseas Contract Workers). Sa pangalan pa lang, may “distinction” kaagad. Hindi ka puwedeng tawaging OCW kung wala kang kontrata sa employer.

    Ginawa ngayong OFW. Si Masipag at si Juan, parehas na karpintero sa Saudi, nagpapadala ng pera. Si Juan may kontrata, si Masipag ay wala. Dahil matalik na magkaibigan, sabay umuwi ng Pinas. Mabuhay OFW sabi sa airport, tinagurian pang mga “bagong bayani”.

    Ngayong may problema, si Juan ay OFW pero si Masipag ay hindi.

    PSB, tama ka, palagi ng nakadikit ang “bahala na” sa asal natin. Hindi pinapansin ang “disiplina ang kailangan”. Isama na sa problema ang mga matataas na opisyales at iba pang namumuno(new heroes) na kurap ng kurap, patumpik tumpik lang ang trabaho.

    Sister Rose, ipagpa umanhin mo. Nahahabaan ako sa komposisyon(explanation)tungkol sa prayer na na-revised at ginawang magandang kanta.

  52. rose rose

    abc: medio mahaba nga…kaya ako ang hiling ko is a line from the song is “let me be an instrument of your peace” nagkaintidihan na kami..and it covers a lot of what we can do…a smile, a hand, a listening ear, etc.

  53. I shared with my friends Al’s suggestion #18 to bury the remains of the three drug mules at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

    Fellow Malaya columnist JB Baylon agreed. He said,”Bagay sila doon. We buried a dog there. Let’s also have mules.”

    Agree. Agree.

  54. tru blue tru blue

    #54: Naks, api api si Gluerilla, dun pala malilibing yung mga baboy-damo nya; well, whoever comes first – she or him.

  55. abc abc

    Baka maunang ilibing ang mga goat, may sakit na sila.

  56. parasabayan parasabayan

    Heh,heh,heh Ellen, hindi na libingan ng mga bayani kundi magiging LIBINGAN ng MGA HAYOP.

  57. chi chi

    Si Mikey and his horses dun na rin ilibing!

  58. Baka bigyan pa ng full military honor iyang tatlong drug mules kung ilibing sila sa Libingan ng Bayani at may gun salute pa… Naloko na..

    Hayaan na lang nating mabulok ang mga iba pang bibitayin ng mga dur mules sa ibang bansa, nag -e export sila ng droga at kahihiyan ng mga Pilipino.

  59. rose rose

    after the execution dadalhin ba ang kanilang mga bangkay at ilibing sa provincia nila or ang China na ang magpalibing sa kanila? sana sa China na lang! bakit hindi na lang i cremate at isabog ang ashes sa China Sea? from where are they? I forgot!

  60. Swerte nga sila Rose dalhin gastos ng gobyerno lahat, simula ng pagbisita ng mga pamilya ng mga binitay sa China at ang gastos sa pag papauwi ng mga bangkay nila sa Pinas.

    Palagay ko mahaba haba ang burol diyan lalo na kung i co cover pa ng MEDIA. Maraming tao ang makiki usiuso at malaki ang kikitain nila sa Tong-its at Lucky-9. Pagkakataon na ng mga pulitiko na mangumpanya at magbigay sila ng mga sobre sa naulila at mangangako, sagot na sagot na nila ang pa scholar ng mga anak nila.Baka nga tangahalin pa silang bayani sa bayan nila at naka half mast pa ang bandila nila sa munisipyo. Marami kasing gago sa atin..

  61. Gusto raw nilang iangat sa kahirapan ang mga pamilya nila kaya nila ginawa iyun.Mga baluktut na katriwan at di na nakuntento kung ano ang mayroon. Gusto pala nilang yumaman bakit di sila nag-awasa ng mayayaman nung una pa man.Di naman mga OFW iyan na nagbabanat ng buto sa kinaroroonan nila, kundi mga oppurtinista na naghahangad ng easy money ayun minalas at nabitay. Buti nga sa kanila dajil di nag-iisip. kung nailusot nila iyun, ano na ang mangyayari sa mga mabibiktima nila ng droga.

  62. 79 pa raw ang naghihintay ng bitay sa China. Pagsabay sabayin ng bitayin lahat iyan ano pa ang hinihintay ng China.Mga biktima raw sila, ayun!!! may PAAWA epek pa. Alam nila ang ginagawa nila katangahan at kawalan ng laman ng kukute kung di nila alam.Nag abroad pa para pabitay..

  63. pranning pranning

    03 April 2011

    Panawagan ko sa mga kababayan natin, itigil na natin ang pag-goglorify sa mga drug mules.

    Hindi sapat na dahilan ang kahirapan kaya sila pumayag na gawin yan. Ang ibig sabihin nun ay alam pa rin nila kung ano ang kanilang gagawin at dala-dalang bawal na epektus.

    Isa pa at pinaka-importante, huwag naman sanang i-classify na OFW’s ang mga drug mules. OO nga’t may mga illegal na nagta-trabaho sa ibat-ibang sulok ng mundo, subalit itoys sa malinis na pamamaraan at hindi sa bawal na gawain.

    Ang mga drug mules ay hindi OFW, kawawa naman ang mga totoong mga OFW, dahil sila ang naaapektuhan.

    Sa gobyerno, dahan-dahan sa pag bibigay ng kung-anu-anong pabuya, pano naman ang mga totoong OFW’s na nangangailangan ng tulong?kelangan pa ba silang gumawa ng isang krimen para tulongan ang kanilang mga kaanak, mag-isip-isip muna kayo.

    prans

  64. rose rose

    yong 79 na naghihintay…isa isahin silang bibitayin?..iratatat na lang ng machine gun.. firing squad style na lang para minsanan lang…let China give them the justice they deserve…chop! chop! the ‘ead! let the family pay for all the funeral expenses..bakit ang gobyerno? nagbayad ba sila ng taxes sa kinita nila? maawa tayo sa kanila…bakt naawa ba sila sa mga kabataan na nasira ang buhay dahil sa droga?simalosep!

  65. rose rose

    where is the Christian in me? naiwan ko sa mall sa sale ng mga Made in China products…mahirap kasi ako… magbitbit!

  66. Pareho pala tayo Rose na naiwan ang christian value sa Mall.Hehehe!

    Wala talaga akong awa sa mga kriminal lalu na iyang mga sangkot sa droga.Mabuti na lang at di ako naging Pulis Maynila pag nagkataon maraming mga pushers, drug adik at mga protector at manufacturer na lulutang na lang sa Ilog Pasig na may itikita ng bawal ang illegal na droga.Bakit kaya walang lumulutang na ngayon na sangkot sa droga diyan sa Ilog Pasig?

  67. Itumba na kaagad ang mga nahuhuli na sangkot sa droga, imbistigahan pa ang mga iyan, kasuhan at makapag piyansa tapos makakalusot pa pag malakas ang padrino.

    Itong si Cacayan, iniimbistigahan pa raw ng NBI. Itumba na iyan o kayay magtayo ng palasebo sa luneta at isabit siya doon sa tuktuk ng kawayan papremyo sa mga nabiktima niya, bahala na mag atado ng por kilo sa katawan niya ang makakuha ng papremyo

  68. Otro pa rin itong asawa at mga anak ni Flor Contemplacion mga ankan ng durg pushers, ayun nakakulong ang mga mag ama. Buti nga sa kanila,sana mabulok na rin sila doon.

    Gago kasi itong mister ni Flor Contemplacion, akalain niyong ipasok niyang katulong ang misis niya sa Singapore tapos siya pakuya kuyakoy. Kung nagtulak na lang sana sila ng kariton at nagtinda ng buko baka magkakasama pa sila ngayon.

  69. Ano ba ang pagkaiba between ABS-CBN, Noli de Castro at Willie?

    Kahit ‘yong noontime news nila sa ANC, halatang pinapatay lang ang oras kung nag-interview ng guest.

    Kung hindi man sensationalism, eh talagang gumagawa lang ng pera ang mga ‘yan.

  70. Kung gusto ng ABS-CBN na magcontribute para bumaba ang lahat ng mga drug related incedence, gawin nilang educational platform ang kanilang kumpanya sa halip na pang-entertainment lang.

    MultiBillion yata ang income nila last year. Puro PR lang ang ginagawa, kahit yung sa restoration ng IlogPasig. Niluluto tayong lahat sa sariling mantika.

    Mga ipokrito.

  71. Hanggang ngayon ba naman ay di pa rin nagbabago ang mga istilo ng ‘to.

  72. freddie1120 freddie1120

    tanong ko lang po, ano na nangyari doon sa mga chinese na nahuli na may mga laboratory ng shabu?

  73. Di bitayin natin sila freddie, kaso wala yatang bitay sa atin kaya malalakas ang mga loob nila.

  74. China has more problems than we have, if we’re worried about a drug problem of thousands, they have a millions. Our corruption problem pales in comparison to theirs.
    That is why they have to resort to executions, but this hasn’t worked so far save for preventing overcrowding in their prison system.
    Maybe its just me, but I was never comfortable with seeing my people getting punished by someone else, if a Filiipino got killed by a foreigner in front of me, I’d still feel some resentment.
    For a country that rules by fear, a drug induced population will be its downfall, and the drugs keep on flowing.
    I remember an reading a story during the time of famine, a child was caught stealing potatoes and the authorities forced the father to bury him alive as an example – thats China then, and in some ways, still is today. Anybody want to trade places with them?

  75. I’m going there in April (again), fortunately my colleagues there don’t care much about politics, and in our limited capacity, the Philippines is still admired by some Chinese.

  76. They still want to go to Manila, of course, they can’t seem to avoid the “but please, meet us at the airport, don’t let us take the bus!” joke everytime. 🙁

  77. There’s also a mayaman-mahirap angle to drug-trafficking.

    Pag mahirap ka at nahuli ka sa foreign airport, drug mule ka.
    Pag mayaman ka at nahuli ka sa foreign airport, congressman ka.

  78. jug, at least sa China, pag mabigat ang kasalanan mo, hindi mangingimi ang gobyernong i-firing squad ka. Gaya nung nag-eexport ng melamine-adulterated milk. Ninais niyang magsuicide na lang kesa parusahan siya by firing squad.

    May naalala tuloy ako. Kuwento time:

    Meron akong personal experience kung saan nakabili ang misis ko ng Sunkist Mango Juice (in tetra brick) sa Rustan’s, nung inumin ko, amoy mabahong kanal ang laman, pati lasa grabe, nagsuka ako. Buti na lang tinikman ko bago ipainom sa panganay kong baby pa noon. Tawag ako ng tawag sa complaint hotline ng RFM, di ako pinansin.

    Nung nag-formal complaint ako sa BFAD, nagpapunta ang RFM ng dalawang tao sa bahay, isang babaeng chemist daw, isang lalake na security consultant daw. Gustong makita nung babae yung ebidensiya ko, ipinakita ko, pero di ko pinahawakan. Pag talikod ko ay dinampot niya at binuksan yung Ziploc. Nagulat na lang ako nung sabihing sorry, dahil ibinuhos na pala niya lahat yung mabahong juice sa sahig na agad namang pinunasan nung lalaki ng panyo niya.

    Gusto kong pagbabarilin doon mismo kaso, ano pang magagawa ko, wala nang ebidensiya?

    Matapos ang ilang buwan nakatanggap ako ng sulat mula sa Korte ng Taguig na dinidismiss na daw yung kaso ko dahil sa “loss of interest” at “failure to attend” despite several subpoenas/summons.

    Putang ina. Nag file yata ng “secret” na kaso ang BFAD na hindi ipinaalam sa akin na siyang complainant, tapos ni isang sulat galing sa korte wala akong natanggap maliban doon sa dismissal na nanggaling pa mismo sa RFM lawyers. Malaking sabwatan ito para pagtakpan ang isang maliit na kaso. RFM, BFAD, RTC, at Post Office.

    Onli in da Pilipins. Putang ina nila.

  79. tongue,
    yung ngang may ari ng shabu labs hindi makasuhan rfm pa?
    medyo apektado rin ako sa nangyari, this trip hindi na ako magdadala ng kahon kahong dried mangoes – baka mapagkamalan pa.

    talagang mas talamak ang corruption sa china kay sa atin, mas malalaking pera pa ang involved, mas walang konsensiya pa, kaya nga ganito na lang katindi ang parusa nila.

  80. freddie1120 freddie1120

    ha ha ha natawa naman ako sa #78…. yun ba yung poging tongressman?

  81. Mike Mike

    # 75

    Jug, much as we don’t like to see our kababayans being executed in other countries by foreigners no matter how grave their offenses are.. we still have to accept the fact that they have their own laws and they are mandated to implement it. It’s their turf and their laws and we simply couldn’t do anything about it.

    Gusto ba nating gumanti sa mga intsik? Well, we too have foreigners (usually mainland Chinese) here who committed crimes in our country, but instead of applying the full force of the law, foreign criminals usually go scott free (either they “escaped” or the court acquits them for a sum). Sad diba? 🙁

  82. rose rose

    nabasa ko kanina ang sabi ng Nanay ni Sally, isa sa nabitay..na ang pinili daw niyang color for her coffin ay white..for purity..purity of what she did? purity of her soul? or purity of her love for money? ay! ay! kalisud!

  83. rose rose

    Mike: madulas kasi ang pera..at ang mga kamay ng ilan sa ating law enforcers ay nalagyan ng manteca na Made in China..kaya madulas….

  84. rose, ang mantika ngayon dito, puro palm oil na. Made in Indonesia.

    Wala nang gaanong nagpa-process ng mais into corn oil kasi mas mabilis ang return kung animal feeds o chitchiryang corn chips na lang.

    Wala na ring gaanong coconut cooking oil dahil mas malaki ang kita sa export ng virgin coconut oil.

  85. talagang mas talamak ang corruption sa china kay sa atin, mas malalaking pera pa ang involved, mas walang konsensiya pa, kaya nga ganito na lang katindi ang parusa nila. – jug

    At least, they show the world they mean business and they are serious in avoiding offending their foreign markets. Ang core business nila e contract manufacturing, paano kung puro adulterated ang mga exports nila.

    Yung ngang Mattel nagsisisi na ngayon kung bakit inilipat yung factory dito papuntang China, ayun, naging toxic si Barbie. Di na siya pwedeng isubo at dila-dilaan. B)

  86. Mike Mike

    @ Rose: # 83

    “…ang pinili daw niyang color for her coffin ay white..for purity..”

    I’ve never actually seen what a heroine looks like, but I assume it’s a WHITE powdery substance. 😛

  87. Mike Mike

    # 84:

    Rose, dahil mahilig sila magpadulas, dapat madulas sila habang naglalakad, pagkatapos tumama ang ulo nila sa matigas na semyento. Para matigok na silang lahat. 😛

  88. Mike Mike

    Nakatakas o pinatakas?

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