Church prays for miracle for Pinoys on death row

Posted on March 29, 2011 by Human Rights Online Philippines One comment

Fr. Edwin Corros, Photo source: cbcpnews

MANILA, March 29, 2011— An official of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines called on the faithful to never give up praying as three Filipinos await execution in China on Wednesday.

Fr. Edwin Corros, executive secretary of the CBCP’s Commission for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People, made the statement today in the hope of a miracle to save the three convicted drug traffickers.

“The best that we can do now is keep on praying…we have been offering Masses for the three OFWs,” Corros said.

The CBCP official said there is a need to storm heavens with prayers so the fate of the three overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) will change.

“We are knocking on all doors. We are trying to storm heavens for a change on the fate of what will happen tomorrow,” said Corros.

The CBCP agency together with the Archdiocese of Manila Ministry on Migrants is holding a prayer vigil tonight at the Nuestra Señora de Guia Shrine in Ermita, Manila for the convicts.

“Tonight we continue to express our solidarity with (Sally) Ordinario, (Ramon) Credo, and (Elizabeth) Batain. We can only ask for a miracle most likely. Hopefully, we can get through this,” said Corros.

But the vigil, he said, is also for the hundreds of OFWs facing death row in China.

“Even now we are already in contact with some people whom we believe can be of help to us in terms of securing the life of the 100 others who are on death row in China,” Corros said.

Last February, the Supreme People’s Court of China affirmed the death sentences of Credo, 42, Villanueva, 32, and Batin, 38.

The executions were originally scheduled last Feb. 20 and 21, but it was put on hold following Vice President Jejomar Binay‘s humanitarian mission to Beijing. [CBCPNews]