Veloso’s last 2 wishes: To see family, bring her body to PH

AS the suspension of executions in Indonesia nears its end, Mary Jane Fiesta Veloso expresses her last two wishes: to see her family and to have her body sent back to the Philippines.

While Mary Jane has seemingly accepted her fate, her mother Celia on Tuesday said they were still hoping that her life would be spared as human rights lawyers and Vice President Jejomar Binay worked on an appeal.

“When I was talking to her yesterday (Monday), I cried. She said, ‘Maybe the Lord wants me to be with Him now. I have two wishes before I’m executed, I want to see all of you and I want my body to be sent home,” Celia quoted Mary Jane.

Mary Jane might be keeping a brave front to help them accept the situation, Celia said. “Because one of her lawyers said she cried and appealed for help.”

Mary Jane was an overseas Filipino worker who was sentenced to death after she was caught smuggling heroin in Yogyakarta airport. She maintains that she was duped by her recruiter Maria Kristina Sergio into carrying the suitcase.

Families of other OFWs shared the challenges they are also facing and expressed support for the Veloso family in a solidarity lunch held Tuesday at the National Council of Churches of the Philippines in Quezon City.

Editha Dacanay’s daughter, Rose Dacanay-Policarpio, is on trial for allegedly killing her employer in Riyadh in Saudi Arabia. Dacanay said three men broke into the house and killed Policarpio’s employer.

She lamented that in two years since the case started, officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs has only told her that the case has been set for follow-up and as of Tuesday, they were still waiting for the report of the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh.

Rosario Ranario’s daughter Marilou, who was sentenced to death in Kuwait in 2005 for allegedly killing her employer, is set to return to the country after her sentence was commuted through a personal appeal by then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Migrante International, who has also been helping the Veloso family, also launched a campaign to save Ranario’s life.

Migrante chair Garry Martinez said the solidarity lunch provided a support group for the families of OFWs and would show the public that many, beside Mary Jane, have been facing the same problem.

Russell Contemplacion, daughter of Flor Contemplacion who was executed in Singapore 20 years ago, said, “Since Flor, there are still OFWs who return dead to their families. Hopefully, this won’t happen with Mary Jane.” SFM/AC