We join the family of Mary Jane Veloso, in jail on Indonesia’s death row over drug related charges since April 2010, in hoping for a positive result as regards President Joko Widodo’s assurance Jakarta will “re-examine” her case.
Veloso was arrested at Yogyakarta’s Adisucipto International Airport on April 25, 2010 when authorities found in her suitcase 2.6 kg of heroin in her suitcase and was sentenced to death six months later.
She won a last-minute reprieve in 2015, when seven foreigners and an Indonesian were executed, after Veloso’s recruiter turned herself in to the Philippines police on allegations of people trafficking and the government in Manila under then President Benigno Aquino III asked for Veloso’s case to be reviewed.
We agree with her supporters the 39-year-old Nueva Ecija mother of two sons is a victim of human trafficking, whose case mirrors the plight of millions of Filipino overseas workers who often face injustice in their adopted country.
President Widodo was in Manila this week for a three-day official visit and assured President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. the Indonesian government will “reexamine” her case.
Communications Secretary Cheloy Garafil said Widodo made the commitment during his meeting with President Marcos at Malacañan Palace on Wednesday, the eve of his departure for home.
The 66-year-old Marcos, four years Widodo’s senior, earlier in May last year asked the latter on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit in Indonesia to reexamine Veloso’s case “as a favor to the Philippines.”
The Filipino leader was hoping clemency would be given to Veloso “at the appropriate time,” as he relayed the progress on the case filed against her recruiters in the Philippines, Foreign Undersecretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro said.
During his meeting with Widodo on Wednesday, President Marcos reported the legal interrogatories required from the Philippine Regional Trial Court on Veloso’s case have been sent to Jakarta for her to answer.
President Marcos said while he respected the prevailing laws in Indonesia as far as illegal drug charges were concerned, the Philippine government was working hard on Veloso’s case.
We see the Philippine government has not given up on Veloso, with authorities saying it is pursuing all legal remedies including asking for her pardon, commutation of sentence, or even extradition to serve her sentence in the Philippines.
According to the National Union of People’s Lawyers, which is raising awareness about Veloso’s case, the drugs were “secretly stashed in a bag given to her by the brother of Tintin’s [Sergio’s] boyfriend in Malaysia without Mary Jane’s knowledge, consent or intention.”
Hope remains high the reassurance committed by President Widodo to President Marcos will result in a positive result.