04 August 2005 – The Philippine Embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina reported to Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto G. Romulo that the Embassy is now assisting two Filipinos who were arrested only days apart at the Viru-Viru International Airport in Santa Cruz, Bolivia for  possession of cocaine.     Philippine Ambassador to Argentina George B. Reyes, who has jurisdiction over Philippine interests in Bolivia, informed Secretary Romulo that they are now closely monitoring the cases of the two Filipinas particularly at ensuring that they have proper legal representation.

“We cannot allow our nationals to be victimized by these criminal drug syndicates,” Secretary Romulo said as he stressed that “the DFA will work closely with the law enforcement agencies in the Philippines and in other countries in combating  this modus operandi that targets the vulnerability of the Filipina.”     At the same time, the Foreign Affairs Secretary said “I have instructed Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Jose Brillantes to place a high priority in this matter.”

Ambassador Reyes reported to Secretary Romulo that a 47 year old Filipina was arrested at the Viru-Viru International Airport on 25 June 2005 while boarding a flight from Santa Cruz to La Paz, Bolivia and then to Lima, Peru bound for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia via Santiago in Chile.  Found in her possession was a package containing 2.6 kilograms of cocaine hidden in two wooden ashtrays in her luggage.

According to Ambassador Reyes, the case of the Filipina is already being heard by the fourth criminal instruction judge.   She is currently under preventive detention at the Palmasola Rehabilitation Center in Santa Cruz.

Ambassador Reyes further reported that four days later (29 June 2005), another 27-year old Filipina was also arrested at the Viru-Viru International Airport this time carrying 9.8 kilograms of cocaine concealed in the base of her luggage.  This second Filipina was boarding a flight from Santa Cruz to Bangkok, Thailand via Buenos Aires.  She is also under preventive detention at the Palmasola Rehabilitation Center while her case is being heard by the eighth criminal instruction judge.

The Department is not disclosing the names of the two arrested Filipinas in recognition of their right to privacy especially during the pendency of their cases.

Ambassador Reyes said that he sent Philippine Honorary Consul General in Santa Cruz Mr. Raul Kieffer to visit the two detained Filipinos and coordinate consular and legal assistance that could be extended to them.  Mr. Kieffer reported to Ambassador Reyes that he spoke with the Filipina arrested on 25 June 2005 who said she is aware of the charges against her.  Mr. Kieffer further reported that this Filipina initially came from Bangkok and then proceeded to Lima where she stayed for five days.  It was in Lima that the drugs were given to her to be transported back to Bangkok via São Paolo, Brazil and Santa Cruz.  It was in Santa Cruz that she was arrested during a routine inspection.

Ambassador Reyes said that the Filipina is being given privileged accommodations through representations made by Mr. Kieffer and that she is in contact with a Filipino priest based in Santa Cruz.  Mr. Kieffer will also be reporting on his meeting with the second Filipina arrested on 29 June 2005.

Ambassador Reyes expressed grave concern over these arrests of Filipinas who were led into being drug couriers.   The Ambassador recalled that last year two Filipino women were caught in possession of sizeable quantities of cocaine in Argentina only two weeks apart.  The two Filipinos came from Turkey and were actually using Turkish passports because they were either married to or staying with Turkish nationals.  Just this year yet another Filipino woman, using the same route, was arrested for drug trafficking in Buenos Aires.  This third Filipino was apparently met by a foreigner in the Argentinean capital and was given the luggage containing the cocaine.

Following Ambassador Reyes’ report, Secretary Romulo reiterated the instructions to all Philippine Foreign Service Posts to closely monitor this modus operandi of drug syndicates luring Filipinas as drug couriers and to warn Filipinos in their jurisdiction against this scheme.

“I appeal to Filipinos to be aware of the inherent evil of the drug trade and refrain from passive or active involvement this scheme.  There is a great risk of being caught and sentenced to jail terms and even death,” Secretary Romulo said, adding that “Filipinos must also understand that airport surveillance personnel and equipment are so advanced these days that the chances of evading discovery of possession of prohibited drugs and substances are practically nil.”

Secretary Romulo renewed his warning against dealing with unlicensed recruiters and other persons who pretend to be offering legal jobs abroad not in compliance with the legal recruitment processes enforced by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration or POEA.

For this purpose, the Department is reissuing the advisory that came out in the official press release no. SFA-AGR-528-05 dated 28 July 2005 regarding the usual progression of events that leads a Filipino into being deceived to act as a drug courier:

• Jobs are usually offered to Filipino women to work in an Asian capital, although only tourist visas are issued to the applicants;

• Once abroad, the Filipino is ordered to stay in a hotel for a number of days and is only given phone numbers of contact persons in the country where the Filipino is staying;

• After some time, a foreign national will meet the Filipino at her hotel.  It is at this time that the Filipino is informed that she is to deliver something to some South American destination;

• The Filipino will be given plane tickets usually roundtrip, from the Asian capital to a Latin American country via Europe and back, as well as some “payment for services;”

• While in the Latin American country, another foreign national will meet the Filipino at a predetermined hotel to get her luggage and will eventually return the same luggage to her, but this time containing illegal drugs, i.e. cocaine, concealed among the packed belongings for her return trip to Asia;

• In case of arrest, the duped Filipino victims are sentenced to imprisonment, usually lasting from two to six years, or death depending on the amount of illegal drugs found in her possession and the place of arrest.