THE Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Saturday, December 2, said that 2 Filipinos were executed on November 24, 2023 as confirmed by the Philippine Consulate General in Guangzhou, China.
The two Filipinos, whose names were not disclosed, were arrested in 2013, and convicted in 2016.
The DFA offered their most sincere condolences to their families and loved ones.
“We offer our most sincere condolences to their families and loved ones. We respect the wishes of their families for privacy, and as such are withholding the identities of the two Filipinos,” according to Department of Foreign Affairs.
Starting from their arrest until the Chinese court’s judgment, the Philippine Consulate General in Guangzhou and the Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs provided all possible assistance, including legal assistance, as per the DFA.
The DFA also stressed that the Philippines must respect China’s criminal laws and legal processes.
“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,” DFA added.
According to the DFA, there are 92 Filipino death penalty cases in China, and of this number, only one of them is not drug-related.
Out of the 92 cases, 86 of the cases were reduced to fixed-term sentences,
Two cases were already commuted to life imprisonment,
4 were given death penalty, including the two executed Filipinos on November 24.
And with these executions, there remain 2 death penalty cases pending a final review or appeal.
There are 92 Filipino death penalty cases in china, all but 1 are drug-related cases.
The DFA reminded all Filipinos wishing to travel abroad to be vigilant of drug syndicates recruiting unwitting travelers as drug mules and to refuse to carry any package that they have not personally packed and thoroughly inspected.
The agency also said that while the Philippine government will continue to exhaust all possible avenues to assist our overseas nationals, ultimately it is the laws and sovereign decisions of foreign countries and not the Philippines which will prevail in these cases.
“While the Philippine government will continue to exhaust all possible avenues to assist our overseas nationals, ultimately it is the laws and sovereign decisions of foreign countries and not the Philippines which will prevail in these cases,” DFA said.
