By SAMMY JULIAN
Manila News Bureau Chief
MANILA – Ninety-five Filipinos are incarcerated in various prison facilities within the jurisdiction of the Philippine Consulate General in Guangzhou, China for drug smuggling.
The Filipinos were either sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment, life imprisonment, or and death with two-year reprieve.
The Consulate General, which has jurisdiction over the Chinese provinces of Guangdong and Hunan, is monitoring two other pending drug-trafficking cases involving three more Filipinos.
It has issued an advisory to Philippine nationals residing, working or vacationing in mainland China to stay away from illegal drug activities as Chinese authorities have resolved to crack down on drug-related crimes.
The Consulate General cited a white paper released recently by the Guangzhou Intermediate People’s Court which indicated a rise in the number of foreigners involved in illegal drugs.
The paper noted that “foreigners from Africa, Southeast Asia and Europe make use of the convenience of Guangzhou’s location and turned the city into a hub for drug consumption, manufacturing, selling and trafficking.”
Aside from Guangzhou, other places included in the list for most number of drug-related cases include Guangdong province, Hunan province and the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.
In its advisory, the Consulate General called on Filipinos to be vigilant of the modus operandi of drug syndicates in recruiting drug mules.
It cautioned travelers in accepting packages intended to be delivered to the Philippines or a transit destination.
Filipinos bound for mainland China are also advised to comply with the pre-departure formalities being implemented by the Philippine Bureau of Immigration to ensure the safety of travelers and prevent the occurrence of transnational crimes, including drug-trafficking.
In 2010 and 2011, two Filipinos were executed for drug-smuggling./PN
