MANILA, March 28, 2011— The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines will hold a prayer vigil on Tuesday for the three convicted Filipino drug couriers facing execution in China.
The activity is organized by CBCP’s Episcopal Commission for the Pastoral Care for Migrants and Itinerant People (ECMI) with the Archdiocese of Manila’s Ministry for Migrants and their Families.
The prayer vigil is set at the Nuestra Señora de Guia Parish Shrine in Ermita, Manila on March 29.
The vigil will start with a Mass for the intention of the 3 Filipino convicts at 6 p.m. and will be followed with the praying of rosary until 8 p.m.
Among the church officials to lead the activity are Fr. Edwin Corros, ECMI executive secretary and Fr. Artemio Fabros, director of the Manila archdiocese’s Migrants Ministry.
The three drugs mules, Ramon Credo, 42, Elizabeth Batain, 38, and Sally Villanueva, 32, on death row are set to be executed by lethal injection on March 30.
Despite getting a rare reprieve following a high-level Philippine government’s appeal, the death sentences of the three will be carried out.
They were originally scheduled to be executed last Feb. 20 and 21 but the Chinese government granted temporary reprieve following an appeal from the Aquino administration last month.
Credo and Villanueva are reportedly set to be executed in Xiamen while the Batain’s death penalty will be carried out in Shenzen.
The CBCP agency called on the faithful to attend the Mass and the prayer vigil to appeal for clemency for the three Filipinos. (CBCPNews)
