Finding Veloso’s recruiter part of gov’t efforts to bolster her appeal—Palace

MALACAÑANG on Monday said it is doing everything to save the life of Mary Jane Veloso, a Filipina sentenced to death in Indonesia, including finding her recruiter who allegedly made the overseas Filipino worker (OFW) carry a luggage filled with heroin.

“Natunghayan ko na ang ating mga awtoridad ay tinunton na kung sino ‘yung recruiter o kung sino man ‘yung partido na nag-udyok kay Mary Jane o ‘yung nagbigay sa kanya ‘nung kalakal na kanyang dinala ‘nung siya ay nadakip,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said. “Bahagi ito ng paghahanap ng ating pamahalaan ng mga paraan para makatulong sa kanyang apela.”

(We’ve seen how the authorities sought out the recruiter or the party who encouraged Mary Jane to work abroad or the person who gave her the illegal drugs when she was arrested. That’s part of the government efforts to help in her appeal.)

Coloma said the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) continues to assist in Veloso’s case.

Veloso’s family earlier called on the government to arrest her alleged recruiter Kristina Sergio.

READ: Mary Jane Veloso kin want recruiter arrested

The group Migrante earlier claimed that Sergio has not been apprehended or charged for her involvement in the case.

Meanwhile, Veloso’s mother Celia said they have been asking for the government’s help but they have not received any in the course of five years.

Migrante International chairperson Garry Martinez said Veloso was a victim of an international drug trafficking syndicate. AC

READ: Kin intensify plea to gov’t to save OFW from Indonesia death row