Somebody should tell us, right at the start of our lives, that we are dying. Then we might live life to the limit, every minute of every day. Do it! I say. Whatever you want to do, do it now! There are only so many tomorrows. – Pope Paul VI
Much has been said about the three Filipinos who , a few minutes ago met their death by lethal injection at the People’s Republic of China. Sally, Elizabeth and Ramon died because they were found guilty of drug trafficking. They might be your typical overseas Filipino workers who sacrifice their lives, balancing the act of being away from their families and earning a few dollars in far away countries. Were they tempted with easy money promised by drug dealers or were they innocent victims? Some people say that the Philippine government did not do well enough to defend them and they were not provided enough help while undergoing trial. Some people say that PROC is too strict in implementing its laws of death sentence to those found guilty of possessing drugs. Drug traffickers found guilty of carrying at least 5 kilo of marijuana or less than two ounces of cocaine are punishable by death. Some people say that if not for the big drug syndicates freely flaunting their trade in Philippine shores, these should not have happened.
Where are those people who made Sally, Ramon and Elizabeth risked their lives in carrying these prohibited drugs? Were they caught or are they still roaming around looking for new victims? I heard from reports that there are around 72 more Filipinos sentenced by life imprisonment and death in China. We could not entirely blame China for what happened because in the first place, it is following its laws and who are we to interfere? Even its own citizens are not spared from death penalty. But really, we have no right to take a life except God.
I grieve for the loss of our kababayans and sympathize with their families. I was thinking, what if , one or two of them were just innocent victims? Let this be a lesson not just for our government but for all of us. It’s about time we enact laws with more teeth and it’s about time that we let everyone know that we mean business. Senator Loren Legarda, chairperson of the Senate foreign relations committee said that “the Philippine government must not be a nation pleading to other nations not to execute its nationals.” She said further that there is a need to strengthen our anti-trafficking laws and make sure that Filipinos leaving the country initially as overseas Filipino workers must not be doped by these illegal drug syndicates.
Guilty or not or victims of circumstances, it is still painful to see their families suffering and in pain. The whole Filipino nation is one with you in prayers.
Dreams And Escapes 