Philippines Bows to China as Executions Loom

A Filipino protester displays a placard and a picture of Sally Ordinario-Villanueva, one of three Filipino drug convicts facing execution in China, during a rally in Manila. (Reuters)

China confirmed on Thursday that three Filipinos who had been convicted of drug trafficking will be executed “sooner or later” despite efforts by the Philippine government to save them.

Speaking to reporters, Chinese Ambassador to Manila Liu Jianchao said the death sentence on Ramon Credo, Sally Ordinario-Villanueva, and Elizabeth Batain, “is final” and that “the penalty will be carried out sooner or later…in accordance with Chinese law.”

Liu said the date of the executions will be announced later by the Supreme Court of Justice.

The Aquino government virtually admitted that it could do nothing more to save the lives of the three Filipinos, saying it respects Beijing’s decision.

 “It is sad that this has happened, but that’s the decision of China,” presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda told a news conference in Malacanang palace.

Acknowledging the inevitable, Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario admitted that he is at a loss on how the convicted Filipinos could still be saved.

 “I think every effort has been made for their clemency…I don’t know what other initiative we can undertake but we’ve already sent two envoys, we’ve even done back channeling,” Del Rosario said in a separate press conference.

Last month, Vice President Jejomar Binay led a high-level delegation to Beijing to plead for at least a deferment of the execution of the convicted Filipinos. 

Beijing accepted Manila’s plea and announced that it was postponing the execution of the three Filipinos. In response, the Philippine government thanked China for its “unprecedented” and “unusual” decision to postpone the executions.

However, on Thursday, the Chinese ambassador clarified that the deferment of the execution was not really unprecedented, saying the Chinese government has responded to similar requests in the past within the legal framework.

Liu defended China’s action, saying that while they value human life, the state should show more concern to people who have been victimized by drug traffickers.

“If you see mothers lose their son, families break up, wife and husband separated because of drug use, robbery for drugs, you will see the necessity to stop and curb these criminal activities in China,” Liu said.

He asked Filipinos for understanding on China’s position even as he called for joint Philippine-China efforts to combat the drug syndicates.

“Let not our good relationships be kidnapped by these criminals,” Liu said