MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) will continue to give legal and consular assistance to the 41-year-old Filipina teacher who was recently sentenced to death in China.
The Filipina was given a 2-year reprieve by the Guangzhou Municipal Intermediate People’s Court on June 24, 2011.
She was found guilty of drug smuggling after it was discovered that she was in possession of 1,996 grams of heroin. The overseas Filipino worker (OFW) was arrested at the Guangzhou International Airport last October 26, 2010.
Authorities found a foil packet containing powder at the bottom of her suitcase. The powder was later identified as heroin.
The court dismissed the defense presented by the OFW that the suitcase was given to her in Vietnam by an African national whom she met through the Internet.
The OFW is from the Bicol region and has worked as an English teacher in Shanwei City since 2006. She has 4 children and is separated from her husband.
DFA spokesperson Raul Hernandez said that the family has requested them not to divulge her name.
Hernandez also said that death with 2-year reprieve means her sentence can be lowered to life imprisonment or a fixed sentence if she shows good behavior.
There are now 76 Filipinos on death row with reprieve in China, all of them due to drug-related cases.
One Filipino who was sentenced to death without reprieve is awaiting the final decision by the Supreme People’s Court in China.
Hernandez said the decision could come out by the end of the year.
