PHILIPPINE NOBEL NO-SHOW A BID TO SAVE DRUG MULES

The Philippines did not send a representative to the Nobel Peace Prize
ceremony in an attempt to encourage China to spare the lives of five
of its nationals on death row, a government spokesman said yesterday.

President Benigno Aquino told a newspaper staying away from the
ceremony to honour jailed Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo had been "in
our national interest", a reference a government spokesman confirmed
was to convicted Filipinos in China.

The comments in The Daily Inquirer were published the day after the
Philippine press rounded on Manila's decision to apparently bow to
Chinese pressure and turn down an invitation to the ceremony in Oslo.

"Our interest is to advance our citizens' needs first," the paper
quoted the president as saying in an interview.

The daily said Aquino had written a letter to the Chinese government
seeking clemency for five Filipinos sentenced to death for drug
trafficking.

"It's in our national interest that we do not, at this time, send a
representative to the Nobel award rites," he told the paper ahead of
the ceremony.

Foreign department spokesman Eduardo Malaya confirmed that Aquino was
referring specifically to a bid to obtain clemency for the five drugs
mules.

Asked if Manila's boycott was an attempt to appease China and save the
lives of the five, Malaya said: "The President's remark speaks for
itself. That's the line," Malaya told AFP.

Chinese embassy spokesman Sun Yi confirmed yesterday that Aquino has
written an appeal to Beijing over the Filipino death row inmates, but
denied that the issue was linked to Manila's decision to skip the
Nobel awards ceremony.

Manila's official reason for the no-show was a scheduling clash, but
several top-level officials have admitted privately the Philippines
wanted to appease China.

Beijing repeatedly warned governments around the world that ties would
be harmed if they attended the ceremony.