PH execs express hope for Veloso following her transfer to execution island

Philippine convicted drug smuggler on death row Mary Jane Fiesta Veloso, is escorted by Indonesian police as she arrives at the court in Sleman in central Java island for a hearing of judicial review on March 3, 2015 AFP FILE PHOTO

Philippine officials on Friday expressed hope that things will not move fast for the Filipina deathrow convict Mary Jane Veloso who has been transferred to Indonesia’s execution island earlier Friday.

“We have filed the second appeal today. We hope things will not move too fast,” Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for migrant workers’ affairs  Jesus Yabes told reporters in a roundtable discussion about human trafficking and illegal recruitment on Friday.

READ: Indonesia moves Filipino maid facing death to island prison

Yabes said the second appeal filed at Indonesia’s Supreme Court included additional information and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency report that raise the argument that Veloso was a victim of human trafficking and drug syndicates.

Without going into detail, he also disclosed that charges have been filed against Veloso’s recruiter Kristina Sergio in the Philippines on Thursday.

Veloso, a 30-year-old mother of two children, was lured to travel to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia by Sergio who had promised her a job.

Claiming to be innocent, Veloso was said to have unknowingly smuggled in Indonesia 2.6 kilograms of heroin through her luggage while traveling from Kuala Lumpur to Yogyakarta where she was arrested.

Asked why the lawyers have only raised the human trafficking angle in the case just now around five years after her conviction, Yabes said the Philippine embassy in Indonesia and the lawyers have exhausted all means to save Veloso from the execution.

“At the level of the trial court, three appeals have been made. After,  the President wrote   the former president (Susilo Bambang) Yudhoyono. But it was not acted upon,” Yabes said.

“Our Asean neighbors were not known for executing foreign nationals. We were surprised by the sudden change of policy by the new government (of Indonesia),” Yabes said referring to the administration of Indonesian President Joko Widodo.

Yabes said the DFA is likewise making arrangements to make the meeting of Veloso and her family and children possible.

With the transfer of Veloso to the execution island Nusakambangan, Vice President Jejomar Binay who is in Indonesia at present reiterated his appeal for prayers.

READ: Binay reiterates appeal for prayers for Veloso
“I urge everyone to include Mary Jane and her family in their prayers. Let us pray that the Indonesian government will heed our appeal for the commutation of Mary Jane’s sentence,” Binay said in a statement.

In a letter he gave to Vice President Jusuf Kalla at the sidelines of their bilateral meeting in Jakarta Wednesday afternoon, Binay sought the compassion of his Indonesia counterpart to spare the life of Veloso and commute her death sentence. DPL