Video plea from Cork nurse in Filipino prison on drug charges

Eanna O’Cochlain and his daughter Caoibhe last year when she visited the Philippines to see him.

Eanna O’Cochlain, a 55-year-old nurse who had been working at Harley Street hospital in London until his arrest in July 2013, is alleged to have been carrying 0.38 grams of cannabis at Laoag International Airport following a visit to the Philippines to deal with the estate of his wife’s late father. He denies the charges.

He has released a Youtube video, entitled ‘Bring Eanna Home: Do Not Forget Me’ asking Irish people to lobby the Irish Government.

“I am appealing to the Irish people, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Charles Flanagan, and Taoiseach Enda Kenny and anyone else, to get me out of this country,” he said in the video.

“My trial was an absolute farce, I had no legal representation, he did not assist me at all, in fact he assisted the prosecutor. My case is waiting to be filed in the supreme court for almost eight months and there is no end in sight.

“When it gets to the supreme court it could take anything from one year to seven years to be ruled on and after that I don’t expect any justice in that court. I will probably go to prison for 14 years and, of course, I will not tolerate that. I will go on immediate hunger strike and I will almost certainly be left to die in prison.

“I’m appealing to youall once again to do everything you can to put pressure on the Irish Government to put pressure on the Filipino government to release me from this ridiculous charge.”

of 0.38 grams of marijuana.

Foreign Affairs Minister Charlie Flanagan raised the issue in the Dáil last October.

In the time since Mr O’Cochlain’s arrest his elderly mother, his brother, and sister have all passed away.