Convicted overseas Filipina worker Mary Jane Veloso has reunited with her family in her detention cell in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
In a statement on Wednesday, non-government organization Migrante International said that Mary Jane’s parents and two sons flew to Indonesia and got a chance to be with her for two days.
During the visit, the organization said the Veloso family were joined by its chairperson Joanna Concepcion, Mary Jane’s legal counsels Edre Olalia and Minnie Lopez, and United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) Bishop Nonie Francisco.
Also present were representatives from the Philippine Embassy in Jakarta and the Department of Foreign Affairs Migrant Workers' Affairs (DFA-OUMWA) in Manilla.
Celia, the mother of Mary Jane, told Migrante International that they were all glad to see and hug her daughter after five years.
“Hindi natulog si Mary Jane dahil nasasabik na makasama kami. Nakita niya ang dalawang anak niya, binata na. Nung nakita nila Mama nila, ayaw nila pakawalan, parating hinahalikan at niyayakap. Miss na miss na nila ang Mama nila,” Celia said as quoted by the organization.
“Nakapagkwentuhan kami, nagdasal at nagmisa kami kung saan nakita namin si Mary Jane tumugtog ng gitara at piano. Aktibo kasi siya sa mga aktibidad sa simbahan,” she added.
It has been 13 years since Mary Jane was convicted of drug trafficking following the recovery of 2.6 kilograms of heroin in her belongings in Yogyakarta airport.
In September last year, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) sought executive clemency for Veloso during President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr.'s state visit to Indonesia.
Last May, Marcos requested Indonesian President Joko Widodo to re-examine the case of Mary Jane Veloso, a convicted overseas Filipino worker during the 42nd ASEAN Summit and Related Summits in Labuan Bajo, Indonesia.