77 Pinoys on death row abroad

MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Tuesday its diplomats had increased their efforts to save 77 Filipinos on death row overseas after four Filipinos were executed in China last year for drug trafficking.

“We are helping them out. We are making high level representations and making sure they have access to legal and consular assistance and trying to get their sentences commuted,” DFA spokesperson Raul Hernandez said.

Last year, four Filipinos were put to death in China for drug trafficking despite the intervention of high-level officials including an appeal from President Aquino.

The executions triggered widespread condemnation in the country which abolished the death sentence in 2006.

Of those facing execution, 42 are detained in China on drug charges, he said.

Six Filipinos face death sentence in Malaysia, five also for drug-related offenses, while one Filipina convicted for the same reason is detained in Indonesia.