Statement of President Aquino on the execution of the three Filipinos in China, March 30,2011

Today, Ramon Credo, Sally
Ordinario, and Elizabeth Batain
were executed in China after
being convicted of drug
trafficking. As fellow Filipinos, we
offer our deepest sympathies to
the families that they have left
behind.
Consistent with the laws and
values of our country, we
pleaded with the Chinese
government to commute their
death sentences to life
imprisonment. Unfortunately, the
Chinesegovernment did not
agree, and we must respect their
legal processes. I ask the public
not to allow this situation to
affect our historic friendship with
the Chinese people.
The Department of Social
Welfare and Development has
been providing grief counseling
to the families of Mr. Credo, Ms.
Ordinario and Ms. Batain. They
will also be provided assistance
for their education and
livelihood.
The three of them were
convicted for drug trafficking,
but perhaps, they can also be
considered victims—victims of
unscrupulous recruiters and
drug traffickers, and victims of a
society that could not provide
for them enough gainful
employment in their home
country.
Since the beginning of our term,
this administration has been
going after drug syndicates. In
the first quarter alone, the
NCRPO has seized 1.4 billion
pesos worth of shabu, shut
down two shabu laboratories,
and arrested 23 foreign nationals
involved in the drug trade. In the
case of Ms. Ordinario, we have
identified the recruiter and filed
charges before the Department
of Justice. Operations are still
ongoing to capture the rest of
these drug traffickers.
But this is part of a bigger
problem: These people are not
the only people that have
suffered this fate. All over the
world, particularly in the Middle
East, there are other Filipinos
languishing in jails.
Our ultimate goal is to create a
situation where people are not
pressured to resort to these
things, where they can find
enough gainful employment in
the Philippines. Let us remain
steadfast and focused on this
goal, for it is the ultimate means
to bringing a better life for all.