Babies of 2 convicted Pinays in China arrive in Manila
Two babies whose mothers were convicted for drug-related offenses in China were repatriated to the Philippines Wednesday night.
Representatives of the Philippine Consulate General in Guangzhou accompanied the 11-month-old baby of Rosabeth Villapando and the 14-month-old baby of Karren Andojar.
"While their respective mothers remain in detention and could not be helped at the moment, the babies needed to be saved from the horrible experience of being in prison," Department of Foreign Affairs Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs (DFA-OUMWA) executive director Enrico Fos said in an article posted Thursday on the DFA website.
He added that this particular case is more meaningful to the people of the Consulate General and the DFA-OUMWA than past repatriation cases because those that were saved were innocent babies.
Fos and representatives from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), as well as the babies' relatives in Manila, welcomed the babies.
Also present were representatives from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and Rep. Roquito Ablan Jr.
The DFA said the repatriation was made possible through consistent diplomatic representations of the Consulate General led by Consul General Joselito Jimeno.
It added its OUMWA unit provided the funding and coordinated with the DSWD and the babies' next of kin.
Chinese authorities arrested the babies' mothers in separate operations in Youyiguan Port, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on September 26 and 27, 2008 for suspected drug smuggling.
Andojar and Villapando were found carrying 1,350 grams and 3,741.5 grams of heroin, respectively.
They were convicted by the High People's Court on January 21, 2009 and sentenced to life imprisonment.
"Both women were pregnant at the time of their arrest. They had the misconception that pregnant women caught smuggling drugs in China will not be detained by authorities and will be immediately repatriated. They also admitted that they knowingly accepted the offer to carry drugs from members of international drug syndicates for a fee," the DFA said.
Upon representation of the Consulate General, both women were not mixed with other criminals while they were in detention but were confined at the Pingxiang Detention House.
The DFA, in coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and other concerned government agencies, continue to work on comprehensive and proactive measures to address the drug mules' issue and prevent the further victimization of Filipinos by international drug syndicates.
Upon the DFA's recommendation, outgoing President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed last February 8 Administrative Order (AO) No. 279, which created the Task Force on Drug Couriers, tasked to prevent Filipinos being used as drug couriers by international drug trafficking syndicates. - LBG, RJAB Jr., GMANews.TV
Representatives of the Philippine Consulate General in Guangzhou accompanied the 11-month-old baby of Rosabeth Villapando and the 14-month-old baby of Karren Andojar.
"While their respective mothers remain in detention and could not be helped at the moment, the babies needed to be saved from the horrible experience of being in prison," Department of Foreign Affairs Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs (DFA-OUMWA) executive director Enrico Fos said in an article posted Thursday on the DFA website.
He added that this particular case is more meaningful to the people of the Consulate General and the DFA-OUMWA than past repatriation cases because those that were saved were innocent babies.
Fos and representatives from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), as well as the babies' relatives in Manila, welcomed the babies.
Also present were representatives from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and Rep. Roquito Ablan Jr.
The DFA said the repatriation was made possible through consistent diplomatic representations of the Consulate General led by Consul General Joselito Jimeno.
It added its OUMWA unit provided the funding and coordinated with the DSWD and the babies' next of kin.
Chinese authorities arrested the babies' mothers in separate operations in Youyiguan Port, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on September 26 and 27, 2008 for suspected drug smuggling.
Andojar and Villapando were found carrying 1,350 grams and 3,741.5 grams of heroin, respectively.
They were convicted by the High People's Court on January 21, 2009 and sentenced to life imprisonment.
"Both women were pregnant at the time of their arrest. They had the misconception that pregnant women caught smuggling drugs in China will not be detained by authorities and will be immediately repatriated. They also admitted that they knowingly accepted the offer to carry drugs from members of international drug syndicates for a fee," the DFA said.
Upon representation of the Consulate General, both women were not mixed with other criminals while they were in detention but were confined at the Pingxiang Detention House.
The DFA, in coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and other concerned government agencies, continue to work on comprehensive and proactive measures to address the drug mules' issue and prevent the further victimization of Filipinos by international drug syndicates.
Upon the DFA's recommendation, outgoing President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed last February 8 Administrative Order (AO) No. 279, which created the Task Force on Drug Couriers, tasked to prevent Filipinos being used as drug couriers by international drug trafficking syndicates. - LBG, RJAB Jr., GMANews.TV
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