Citing the report of Philippine Ambassador to China Sonia Cataumber Brady, the DFA also said that since 2007, a total of 48 Filipinos have been meted out the death sentence while 26 the life sentence for acting as so-called drug mules or bringing illegal narcotic drugs into China.

“Despite repeated warnings by the Philippine government, our kababayans (compatriots) continue to be victimized by these drug syndicates with wide network operations in various parts of Asia,” she said, noting that more and more Filipinos continue to be enticed to carry illegal drugs in exchange for money

Brady thus urged “Filipinos to resist any offer of financial reward from these syndicates for carrying prohibited drugs to China or to any other country in the world.”

The ambassador stressed that China strictly imposes tough penalties against persons caught in possession of prohibited or dangerous drugs.

“In China, drug trafficking of 50 grams or more of highly dangerous drug like heroin maybe punishable by 15 years in prison, life imprisonment, or death,” she pointed out.

All those arrested were caught with narcotic drugs in their person or luggage given to them by “friends” they met in transit or in another country (in particular Bangkok in Thailand, Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, Macau, Kathmandu in Nepal, Vientiane in Laos, and Hanoi in Vietnam), the ambassador said.

These same “friends” gave them air tickets and pocket money to travel to Hong Kong, Macau, or mainland China with the promise that they would be paid $500 or more upon delivery of the drugs to a contact in their destination, she added.

However, the ambassador said, some of those arrested recently came directly from Manila with drugs in their person or possession.

Of those arrested in 2009 alone, seven have been imposed the death penalty, seven were meted life sentence, while another five received a sentence of at least 15 years’ imprisonment.

In 2008, a total of 111 Filipinos—almost all of whom are women—were arrested for drug-related offenses in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau, a 594-percent increase compared to the 16 Filipinos arrested in 2007.