China no longer replied to Aquino letter on Filipino death convict—Palace

MANILA, Philippines—China no longer responded to President Benigno Aquino’s letter asking for the commutation of sentence of the Filipino convicted of drug trafficking and executed on Thursday.

“It looks like there was no response anymore. It was conveyed, I think, through our Philippine embassy,” Lacierda said when asked if Chinese President Hu Jintao replied to Mr. Aquino’s letter sent through Vice President Jejomar Binay.

“Well, he didn’t respond and so we take that as a decision from them that the sentence is final and which was actually carried out today,” Lacierda said.

Lacierda expressed the Aquino administration’s sympathies to the family of the just executed convict that he identified only as Pinoy 1.

“We extend our sincerest condolences to the family of the Filipino who is currently being named as Pinoy One,” Lacierda said.