Remains of 2 Filipinos executed in China to arrive in PH

MANILA — The remains of the two Filipinos executed by China for drug trafficking are set to arrive in the Philippines over the weekend, a Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) official said in a televised briefing Friday.

• DFA: 2 Filipinos executed in China for drug trafficking

“Mangyayari na po iyan itong weekend, hindi ko lang matiyak iyong flight details,” DFA Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega said Friday.

“Pero nasa kamay na ng ating konsulado iyong mga remains, nasa urn na iyong remains noong dalawa at matatanggap ng mga pamilya dito sa Pilipinas.”

"So itong situation, medyo tumagal pero nakuha natin; naayos natin iyong papeles kasi kumplikado iyong bureaucracy din sa China ‘no so ‘ayun po. For sure this weekend, nasa Pilipinas na iyan; kung hindi ngayong araw mismo, itong weekend nandito na,” De Vega added.

The Philippines earlier announced the execution of the two Filipinos convicted of drug trafficking, even as Manila appealed extensively to Beijing to have their sentences commuted to life imprisonment.

“Dinaramdam uli namin iyong nangyaring ito pero, you know… binigyan natin ng assistance at parang babala din ito sa ating mga kababayan, huwag magpaloko sa mga—at maging drug mule ‘no," De Vega said.

The DFA said there are currently 92 Filipino death penalty cases in China. All but one are drug related cases.

So far, 2 of the cases have been successfully commuted to life imprisonment; 86 reduced to fixed term; while 2 remain on appeal or pending a final review.