Filipino Drug Mules

Once again we have another Filipino executed in a death sentence by lethal injection in China who was caught for drug trafficking. Another tragedy that’s giving their family so much grief and loss. Perhaps the loss we never see or feel but one thing is certain it is a devastating loss no less. Some are probably the main bread winner in their family and with the death sentence, the family surely will have to grapple with economic problem to survive which ironically may have been the very reason they became drug mules.

Let’s make one thing clear here, I am against death penalty. It is inhumane and barbaric that has no place in the civilized world. Problem is drug trafficking is illegal and you know that you are wreaking people’s lives with how you earn a living. Drug trafficking no matter how you rationalize it will still be a dastardly criminal enterprise that countries like China metes death penalty if you are caught red handed.

I feel sorry for the drug mule and specifically his/her family but what if he/she was not caught? Can we say the same about the users that the drug mules carried in wreaking havoc to their lives? What about those who killed themselves, some did it slowly while others do it abruptly through suicide brought about by the drug addiction of which his/her drugs was used, where is the concern and indignation? Can we in good conscience also demand justice for those addicted people enabled by our Filipino drug mules?

One thing that caught my attention is the comment of Edith Ordinario the mother of Sally Ordinario one of the three drug mules recently executed in China, who went to the protest rally. In her observation she states that the government has not learned its lesson from the past in protecting its citizens. The system she says is wrong, was it the delayed reaction of the government that the protesters are voicing out or is it something else? She got me so confused because she also stated that they (drug mules) should just face their predicament courageously and pray. She further states that is how the Chinese government does things and there is nothing they can do about it.

Gary Martinez, chairman of Migrante states their discontent with the government that repeatedly has a delayed reaction every time there is a pending execution. Perhaps he is right; this is where the DFA should really seriously consider appointing ambassadors and consuls from the ranks of career diplomats. Time to stop using this important position to curry political favors or in paying some political debt of gratitude, which I believe is the real cause of the delayed action and the incompetency of those tasked to look after the welfare of the OFWs.

It is bad enough that drug mules are lumped into the OFW sector when they are not. Unless illegal activities are considered legitimate jobs then go ahead and classify them as OFWs. If they are not legitimate OFWs why will Migrante call for a zero remittance day on December 18 which is the International Migrants Day when drug mules are not exactly migrants?

Not that I don’t feel for them, after all it is their lives that are at stake here and no one would want to be in their predicament. Are they not aware that drug trafficking is a serious criminal offense that will ultimately cause their life if they get caught? Second is they should know the questionable shady characters of the criminal kind are involved. Why will they deal with these kinds of characters that will bring them nothing but trouble?

Now, how and what exactly do people expect what kind of help should the government do to assist and protect its citizen in this situation? It makes me wonder what brings about this entitlement attitude even though one has been found to have been involved in a serious criminal activity, is it because people see this as a natural occurrence in the government? A government populated by criminals in politicians, police, military, and in robes clothing that bend not just the rules but the laws to accommodate their allies whoever is in power?

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