The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) sought executive clemency for Mary Jane Veloso, a Filipino worker who is facing death row for 12 years in Indonesia for drug trafficking, Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles announced on Tuesday, Sept. 6.
In a video statement, Cruz-Angeles said it was Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo who sought the absolute pardon for Veloso to Indonesian Minister for Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi.
The request was made when Manalo met Marsudi during the sidelines of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.'s state visit to Indonesia last Sept. 4 to 6.
“Ayon kay Minister Marsudi, ihahain nila at isasanguni sa kanilang Ministry of Justice,” Cruz-Angeles said.
She guaranteed that DFA provides consular assistance to Veloso.
“Ayon sa kanila ay nasa mabuting kalagayan siya sa Wonosari Women's Penitentiary sa Yogyakarta,” the Cruz-Angeles said.
She added that the foreign affairs department also hired a lawyer to defend Veloso.
Earlier, the Press Secretary said Marcos is aware of Veloso’s case but she could not disclose further information about it.
She then said that the government will “deliberate” the case because the issue is sensitive.
On Sept. 2, Cesar Veloso, Mary Jane’s Father, traveled from Nueva Ecija to the Department of Migrant Workers' (DMW) main office to send a letter of appeal to Marcos.
He insisted that her daughter is “innocent“ and asked Marcos to seek executive clemency from Indonesia President Joko Widodo and take her home with him to the Philippines.
