End of the road

source: mb.com.ph

MANILA, Philippines-Ramon Credo, Sally Ordinario Villanueva, and Elizabeth Batain – the three Filipinos who were found guilty of drug trafficking in China – were executed Wednesday morning.

This was announced shortly before noon Wednesday by Malacañang and Vice President Jejomar Binay.

Binay, who is currently in Saudi Arabia, said the confirmation of the execution was issued by the Chinese government.

“Malungkot ko pong ibinabalita sa inyo na na-execute na ang ating tatlong kababayan (It is with great sadness that I report to you that our three countrymen have been executed),” Binay said in one radio interview.

Binay described the day as “a sad one for all Filipinos.”

The announcement dashed the hopes of the entire nation that had been fervently following the unfortunate story of the three OFWs, all the while praying for a miracle to happen.

Before the three doomed Filipinos met their fate, their respective families were allowed to meet them for the last time.

The families Credo and Villanueva, accompanied by Philippine consulate general officials arrived, at Xiamen No. 1 Detention House at 7:50 a.m. for the meeting.

From 8 to 9 a.m., the families met with Credo and Villanueva using separate visitation booths.

However, the food that the Ordinario family brought with them for Sally was not allowed by prison officials to be taken inside the cell.

Even the request of Sally for a mobile phone so she can talk to her children for the last time was not granted.

They were only allowed to bring a rosary and prayer book inside the detention house.

At exactly 9 a.m., the visitors departed the detention house for the 2nd Criminal Tribunal of the Intermediate People’s Court, where the final and executor sentences on Credo and Villanueva were promulgated at exactly 9:40 a.m.

At around 10:40 a.m., Credo and Villanueva were taken to the venue where they were executed.

A glimpse of Sally

At noon, the Ordinario family, with the Philippine consulate general officials, went to Xiamen funeral parlor for the formal presentation and viewing of Villanueva’s remains. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the Corpse International Travel will undertake the shipment of Villanueva's remains to the Philippines, while Credo’s cremated remains will be claimed later by his family and consulate officials at the Xiamen Crematorium in Jimei District.

The Credo family preferred that the remains of Ramon be cremated.

At around 1:50 p.m., the death certificates of Credo and Villanueva as well as their passports and other personal effects were turned over by the Intermediate People’s Court to the Philippine consulate general officials.

In the case of Batain, she was only given half an hour to meet her family.

The Batain family members, accompanied by consulate officials, arrived at Shenzhen No. 3 Detention House at around 9 a.m.

From 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., the final and executor sentence on Batain was promulgated.

At 10:40 a.m., the Batain family members and consulate officials were allowed to meet the convict.

At exactly 11:18 a.m., Batain was taken to the venue where she executed.

At around 12:30 p.m. the Philippine consul general received notification from Guangdong High People’s Court that the execution of Batain has been carried out.

The DFA said arrangements with respect to the shipment of Batain’s remains are now being arranged.

Sally’s concern for her family

During the Ordinario family’s meeting, Sally asked her father Peter if they were there to visit her because she will be executed that day. But her father was forced to lie and just told her instead that they were there just to visit her.

Sally then told her family not to worry about her, even saying she was more worried about them. She also told them to just take care of her chil¬dren and themselves.

Sally told them that all she wanted was for her two children to get proper education.

In a television interview on the eve of the execution, Jason Ordinario, one of Sally's brothers who travelled to China to visit her, said they were not able to sleep in the Xiamen hotel where they were staying thinking about the fateful day.

Credo’s call

The Credo family wants the government to hunt down the recruiter of Ramon to face appropriate charges.

The same holds true with the case of Sally, whose family is urging government authorities to prosecute her recruiter.

Sally had earlier named a certain Tita Cacayan as her recruiter and source of the drugs she brought to China. The affidavit she signed and submitted to Chinese President Hu Jintao, together with a letter, aims to show that Sally was used by a drug syndicate and does not deserve the death penalty.

Faith in God

On the day of the execution of the three Filipinos, the family of Batain issued a statement requesting all media entities to refrain from contacting them during these traumatic times, saying “this constant harassment is an invasion of our privacy.”

In a handwritten letter coursed through the DFA, Angel Batain, sister of Elizabeth, expressed her family's belief “that this is just a trial for our family.”

“We need to stay stronger as a family and focus our attention to God,” Angel said. “Our faith is in God. We believe no execution could happen. We are still fighting for it.”

“We urge our friends in the media to help instead in informing the public about the modus operandi of international drug syndicates who are behind the cruel use of Filipino drug couriers,” she added.

The Batain family also reiterated that they do not allow any television network or press to release pictures of Elizabeth or any member of our family.

“For the last time, could you all please respect my family’s privacy. Thank you for your compassion and cooperation on our request,” the Batain family said.

Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Spokesperson Ed Malaya stated that they chose not to issue any statement on the execution of the three Filipinos out of respect to the families.

This is contrary to expectations that it will be the DFA that will announce the outcome.

Instead, a one minute of silence was observed by the DFA at noon Wednesday in memory of Credo, Vil¬lanueva, and Batain.

Earlier in the day, the DFA offered a mass for the three Filipinos convicted of drug smuggling.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario later offered his deepest sympathy “for the loss that (the families of the convicts) would be enduring."

Villanueva, 32, was convicted for smuggling 4,110 grams of heroin on Dec. 24, 2008. Four days later, Credo, 42, was convicted for smuggling a slightly bigger amount of heroin. Batain was sentenced to death on May 24 in the same year also for drug trafficking.

On Tuesday afternoon, a holy mass for the families of Credo, Villanueva, and Batain was celebrated at the premises of the Philippines Consulate General in Xiamen.

Rev. Father Francisco Jose Caluag Cruz of the Vincentian Order, who flew in from Tianjin to Xiamen Tuesday morning, celebrated the mass.

The Consulate made arrangements for Fr. Cruz to provide ministry to the families during these trying times.

Meanwhile, in a text message Tuesday, Chinese Embassy Spokesman Ethan Sun expressed hope that the Philippine side would understand why the execution pushed through.

Sun assured that the Chinese side will provide all necessary assistance to the relatives of those executed and Philippine Consular officials after the executions.

Aquino offers prayers

Following the executions, President Aquino offered prayers for the repose of the souls of the three Filipinos even as his administration intends to keep friendly ties with the giant Asian neighbor.

The President joined Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales and other Catholic bishops and Cabinet members in a somber prayer at the Palace chapel after their dialogue on the controversial family planning issue.

Aquino, whose government earlier made last-ditch appeals to China for clemency, is expected to issue a statement on the matter later Wednesday.

Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said the President was “silent” when he was informed about the execution of the three Filipinos.

source: mb.com.ph