De Lima tells families of drug mules: Cooperate with authorities

MANILA, Philippines—Justice Secretary Leila De Lima ordered the National Bureau of Investigation to hunt down the alleged recruiter of the executed drug mule.

“I am directing the NBI (National Bureau of Investigation) to investigate and hunt down the alleged recruiter with the end view of filing charges against him or her and other members of the syndicate, if any,” De Lima told reporters in a chance interview Thursday.

Filipino children light candles outside the house of Sally Villanueva, one of three Filipinos executed in China after being convicted of drug trafficking, last March 2011. AFP File Photo

The Filipina drug mule was executed Wednesday after the Supreme Court People’s Court of China upheld the death sentence handed down by a lower court on June 26.

The 35-year old Filipina and a mother of two from Metro Manila was the fifth Filipino national to be executed for drug trafficking in China. She was arrested last January 2011 after attempting to smuggle around six kilograms of heroin in Hangzhou International Airport.

De Lima also urged the family of the Filipina drug mule to coordinate with the NBI.

“They probably have more information that could help the NBI in its investigation,” De Lima said.

De Lima said Filipinos are among those targeted for the transport of these illegal substances because there are some 10 million Filipinos working overseas.