Phantom Maelstrom

The OFW (overseas Filipino worker) convicted of drug trafficking in China was executed at past noon yesterday, Vice President Jejomar Binay announced the sad news yesterday afternoon.

"Mga kababayan in-execute na po ang ating kababayan [My countrymen, our fellow countryman has already been executed]," Binay said during a video conference with media at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

He said the Filipino, who is reportedly from Bataan province, was executed by lethal injection in Liuzhou City at 12:30 p.m.

Binay said that the OFW met with his two siblings and two cousins at the Guilin detention house for 25 minutes. The OFW was also able to talk to a Philippine consulate official and a priest for 10 minutes.

The vice president, who was attending the 4th Democracy Forum in Indonesia, said that the OFW was able to meet his siblings and cousins for the second and last time from 9:45 to 10:15 a.m. after he was informed by Chinese authorities about his execution.

"The subject was very calm. Nakakalungkot. Ugaling Filipino, nag-iiyak ang pamilya [It's sad. Filipino manner, the family wept]," Binay said describing the last meeting of the OFW and his relatives before the execution.

The priest, Fr. Emil, gave the OFW his last rites and communion.

The Filipino was convicted of drug trafficking. He was arrested last Sept. 13, 2008 at the Guilin International Airport while trying to smuggle nearly 1.5 kilograms of heroin.

He was the fourth Filipino to be executed in China for drug trafficking this year.

Vice President Binay also revealed the last hours of the 35-year-old Filipino drug mule.

7:00 a.m. - A mass was officiated by Filipino priest, Fr. Emil at the hotel where the family was staying.
8:00 a.m. - The family, Fr. Emil and consulate officials proceeded to the Guilin detention house in Guangxi province.
8:00 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. - A 10-minute jail visitation was granted to consulate officials and another 25 minutes to the family of the convicted drug trafficker.
9:25 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. - The court ruling meting out the death penalty against the Filipino was read by a judge. An English translation was also provided according to Binay.
9:45 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. - The family, the priest and consulate officials were again allowed to see the Pinoy (Filipino). Binay said Fr. Emil was able to give the last rites and communion to the convicted Filipino.
10:15 a.m. - The Filipino was brought to Liuzhou City, the venue of the execution. Family members and consulate officials were not allowed to go. They stayed behind in Guilin.
The drive from Guilin to Liuzhou takes about 2 hours.
12:30 p.m. - The death penalty by lethal injection was carried out against the Filipino.

Last March, drug mules Sally Ordinario-Villanueva, 32; Ramon Credo, 42; and Elizabeth Batain, 38, were executed in Xiamen and Shenzhen.

Binay said that right after the execution, the Philippine consulate officials will return to the court for the OFW's release papers. He added that Philippine officials in China have also arrange the transfer of the Filipino to a funeral parlor. He said that the Filipino's body may be repatriated back to the Philippines by Tuesday or Wednesday next week.

The Philippine government, through the Department of Foreign Affairs, made various attempts to appeal the execution of the Filipino.

President Benigno Aquino III also sent a letter of appeal to Chinese President Hu Jintao.

Binay, for his part, asked to be allowed to travel to China to personally handover the letter and appeal for the convicted Filipino.

China, however, reiterated that its high court's decision was final.