Irish husband of OFW on drugs charge has been framed claim family
June 15, 2015 ·
A head of steam is growing in the case of Irishman Eanna O’Cochlain who has been convicted and sentenced to 12 years by a Philippine court for possession of 0.3 grams of marijuana.
Mr O’Cochlain, originally from Cork, was in Laoag in the northern Philippines catching an internal flight to Manila when he was arrested for allegedly having 2 cigarettes containing the drug marijuana in them in July 2013.
The facts appear straightforward. He was arrested, charged and placed before the Regional Trial Court 13 in Laoag before trial judge Justice Philip G. Salvador and convicted. He was then sentenced to twelve years imprisonment in November 2013.
There are however two important aspects to this case that are causing serious concern. The first is the savage sentence for such a small amount of the drug. The second is the claim, with some apparent validity, that Eanna O’Cochlain has been framed up in this case, either for a clear case of extortion by the police at Laoag airport, or that he was targeted because of his family’s ownership of a beach front house in Laoag worth some money now.
Eanna O’Cochlain with his daughter (l) Caoime and wife Jho
There are also claims that the two policeman who arrested him, along with the prosecutor, warned of a possible 25 years in jail if a pay-off were not forthcoming.
Patrick Coughlan in Cork campaigning for his brother, and Laoag Airport where the arrest took place
His brother has launched an on-line appeal and petition which can be accessed here:
Balita Pinoy contacted the Irish Embassy in Singapore to find out what representation has been made on Mr O’Cochlain’s behalf. Both they and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Dublin gave the following identical response:
