88 Filipinos face death penalty in drug cases

An association of the overseas Filipinos has advised its compatriots – especially the women – to be vigilant against international drug traffickers luring them with cash, lucrative jobs, love marriages and pleasure trips to use them as drug mules.

Figures showed that a number of overseas Filipino workers are facing death penalty in different countries on drug smuggling charges after they were lured into the trade by drug traffickers.

Ilmeda M. Nicholas, Chairperson of the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO), said: “There are now 88 Filipinos facing the death penalty related to drug trafficking charges in different countries as compared to 80 in March 2013.”

She urged human rights and other social groups to increase awareness about the danger posed by some private recruitment agencies and drug syndicates who lure Filipinos, especially women, to work as drug carriers.

The commission, which works for the welfare of millions of overseas Filipinos, advised them to be cautious while travelling abroad for work and vacation for drug traffickers befriend or marry potential recruits and later turn them into drug couriers.

Speaking to Emirates 24|7, Nicholas M Ilmeda said she is quite saddened by such a large number of Filipinos, especially women, becoming victims of drug trafficking cases. 

The secretary was speaking on the sidelines of the South East Asian Regional Conference in Manila.

A report recently said that the private recruitment agencies sometimes use job seekers, especially females, to work as drug carriers without the victim’s knowledge.

The Philippines Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) reported that some dubious recruitment agencies have been using the new workers going abroad as drug carriers and many of them were caught.

According to PDEA, 807 Filipinos were in jails in various countries in July 2014 on drug-related charges.

“Of the 710 arrested, 265 (37%) are males while 445 (63%) are females. Women are usually targeted by syndicates because they generally attract mild suspicion from the inspectors,” according to a PDEA.

It said that the drug is either swallowed or inserted in the female body after minor surgery or hidden in luggage and handbags. Pregnant women are recruited to work as drug carriers because they will get sympathy as well as less punishment in some countries.

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