Pag Bawal, Bawal! Close to 100 OFWs in UAE Jails for Drugs

The number of Filipinos convicted for drug-related offenses in the UAE has been increasing. Philippine officials in the UAE have heightened awareness campaigns against drugs while police authorities have stepped up raids.

DUBAI: There are close to 100 Filipinos incarcerated in various jails across the UAE on drug-related charges, according to top officials, who warned that others engaging in the illegal activity should turn over a new leaf, else face the full brunt of the host-country’s zerotolerance policy against drugs. “Para kang kumuha ng batong ipinukpok sa ulo mo. Bakit ka sasali sa ganun? (It’s like having a stone to hit your head with. Why do it?)” Amb. Constancio R. Vingno, Jr. said. “Nandito ka para sa ikabubuhay ng mga mahal mo sa Pilipinas, tapos magda-drugs ka? Anu yun? It doesn’t make sense.

Payo ko umiwas ka (You’re here [in the UAE] for your loved ones back home yet you’d do drugs? It doesn’t make sense. My advice is get out of it),” he added. For his part, Consul General Paul Raymund Cortes said Filipinos in the UAE dealing or using meths, more known as shabu, should think twice and start their lives anew before the strong arm of the law gets to them. “This is not their country.

The UAE has a zero tolerance policy on drugs, they should bear that in mind,” he said. An initial post by The Filipino Times about the matter reached over 119,000 people and was shared almost 1,000 times –indicating how strongly netizens feel against OFWs using or dealing drugs. There were likewise over 100 comments, the thread of which was mostly filled with angry remarks.

Numbers Sixty-six Filipinos are serving a 25-year prison term at Dubai City Jail, according to Cortes. Eight more are jailed in Sharjah. In Abu Dhabi, Vice Consul Rowena Pangilinan-Daquipil said 12 Filipinos are in jail for drug offenses. Of the number, five were sentenced last year to a year’s imprisonment with deportation after serving time; two were initially sentenced to 25 years, which was later reduced to 10 years, also with deportation, following an appeal.

The case is still under appeal at the Court of Cassation, Daquipil said. She added that another was initially sentenced to 25 years with Dh50,000 penalty and deportation. “After an appeal, the sentence was reduced to three years’ imprisonment with deportation,” Daquipil said. Still another was sentenced by the Lower Court to serve 25 years’ jail time, a ruling affirmed by the Supreme Court “For first half of 2016, the Philippine Embassy handled three drug cases. Two were sentenced to one year imprisonment with deportation while the other one was found innocent of the charges,” Daquipil said.

First line of defense UAE authorities have meantime advised families to strengthen their role as the first line of defense against drug peddlers that are increasingly targeting students. The Ministry of Interior (MoI) has revealed that the number of students arrested for drug abuse has increased over the last few years. As per the data presented by MoI to the recent session of the Federal National Council, youth aged 20- 25 years old are the most common drug abusers in the country, accounting for up to 30 percent of the total number of drug dependent individuals in 2014. The UAE has implemented a number of national drug prevention programs that have contributed to reducing the rate of drug use.

Thanks to the country’s stringent policies in eradicating illegal drugs, the rate of drug use was reduced by 7 percent in 2014 and 8 percent in 2015. However, drug peddlers continue to find ways to destroy lives. Police authorities have stepped up drug raids in coordination with their counterparts in all emirates. In the first half of 2016, the concerted efforts led to eight big drug hauls and the arrest of 19 suspects. Assistance The report about Filipinos languishing in UAE jails on drug-related offenses came in the midst of the new Philippine administration’s raging war against drugs where 1,900 killings, gangland-style, have been recorded by police since Pres. Duterte officially assumed office on June 30.

Duterte has said his administration is taking the ironhand policy against drug offenders, even naming ranking officials as coddlers. To this end, some quarters were claiming the Philippine mission in the UAE could be facing a quandary on how to extend assistance to Filipinos arrested on drug-related charges. But Vingno and Cortes maintained that their offices will continue providing help “because it is our mandate to ensure that rights are protected.” He added, “If a person is found to have violated the law, then he or she should face the legal consequences. What if he or she’s innocent? Then, we’ll have to extend assistance to ensure that that person’s rights are protected under the law,” Vingno said.

Cortes for his part said an arrested person is presumed innocent till proven guilty. “Our mandate is to protect the welfare of the OFW,” he said. Cortes had earlier expressed wariness, noting that the number of drug-related arrests involving Filipinos in Dubai has increased in 2015 by 65 percent compared to the previous year.

Netizens Meantime, netizens who saw the TFT post on social media expressed disappointment at those jailed. Said Bebz Gerona: “Kawawa mga pamilya nyo sa Pilipinas na umaasa sa inyo. Pinag-isipan nyo sana bago nyo ginawa dahil alam nyo na ang batas dito sa Dubai.” Lucky T. Estrada, for his part, added: “Sorry to say this, but why bring that thrash here ? You know what? Deport them and let a harsher punishment fall upon them, sensya na mga kapwa Pinoy, you got this coming to you.” Gina B. Carabeo said: “At talagang dito pa kayo nagkalat ha! Ang lalakas naman ng loob nyo! Aber, tapos hihingi kayo ng tulong sa gobyerno dahil sa nyo. Then, pag nakulong sasabihin nyo, kasalan na naman ng gobyerno! Sana nag-katol nalang kayo..wala pang kulong!!!”

Aidan Ballesteros said, “Mga kayo, and what do you expect from us? Kaawaan kayo na tulungan kayo ng gobyerno? It was bound to happen at some point. You do stupid things, stupid things will happen to you. Sensitive? Sure I can be sensitive. Oh, kawawa naman kayo mga kabayan, walang capacity ang mga utak nyo para alamin ang magiging epekto pag nahuli kayo. Mas nakakaawa ang pamilya nyo.” “Good for them,” said Nalla Rondecal Mercado, “Don’t ask help…. You are the rubbish of the Filipino race.” The thread goes on.

(Source: FilipinoTimes.ae)