Aquino vows to save Veloso

President Benigno Aquino III. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/RAFFY LERMA

President Benigno Aquino III, who is headed to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to attend the 26th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit, vowed to save the life of Filipina death-row drug convict Mary Jane Veloso from execution.

READ: Aquino heads to Malaysia for 26th Asean Summit

In a speech delivered at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2 before his departure to Malaysia, Aquino said that he will speak with Indonesian President Joko Widodo to appeal Veloso’s case.

“Sa pagdalo po natin sa Asean Summit na ito, kukunin natin ang pagkakataong ipagpatuloy ang ating pagsisikap na tulungan ang kababayan nating si Mary Jane Veloso. Doon, sisikapin po nating kausapin si Pangulong Joko Widodo ng Indonesia upang iapela ang kanyang kaso. (In this Asean Summit, we will have the opportunity to continue our efforts to help Mary Jane Veloso. We will try to speak with President Joko Widodo to appeal her case),” Aquino said.

He said that the government is exerting all efforts to save Veloso from execution by firing squad.

“Makakaasa ang ating mga Boss, sa loob o labas ng bansa: Ginagawa natin ang lahat ng ating makakaya para tugunan ang mga problema natin ngayon at hindi na ito maipasa sa mga susunod sa atin (Our fellow Filipinos can expect that the government is doing everything it can to address the problem that we are facing today and not pass it on to our successor),” he added.

Aside from Aquino’s last ditch attempt to save the life of the Filipino domestic helper, the President is also expected to discuss Asean integration with fellow leaders and to meet Malaysia and Vietnam leaders to address China’s aggressive actions in the South China Sea.

Veloso is set to be executed in the maximum security prison island in Nusakambangan on April 28.

Stronger Asean ties

In his participation at the summit, the President said that he would strive for stronger foreign relations.

“With the leaders of other countries, we will discuss issues affecting the region and together lay down an agenda and build a consensus to raise the quality of life for our citizens,” he said.

The President said the issues included in the summit were initiatives in improving trade, responding to the effects of climate change, and providing security for the region.

“We believe that a vital part of the path we must take is Asean centrality. Instead of acting separately, unity is the key to achieving goals for the good of everyone. Clearly the problem of one (state), is the problem of all,” he emphasized.

After participating in the Asean summit, President Aquino will take part in the 11th Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asian Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) Summit on April 28, which will focus on transport connectivity to achieve growth in trade, investment and tourism. Initiatives on food security as well as other efforts for regional development will also be discussed.

BIMP-EAGA covers the sultanate of Brunei Darussalam; the provinces of Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Maluku, and West Papua, Indonesia; the states of Sabah and Sarawak as well as Labuan, Malaysia; and Mindanao as well as Palawan in the Philippines.

President Aquino’s delegation for the 26th Asean Summit includes: foreign affairs secretary Albert Del Rosario; finance secretary Cesar Purisima; trade secretary Gregory Domingo; secretary to the cabinet Jose Rene Almendras; social welfare secretary Corazon Soliman; communications secretary Herminio Coloma Jr; presidential management staff chief Julia Abad; National Economic Development Authority Director General Arsenio Balisacan; and Mindanao Development Authority chairperson Luwalhati Antonino.

For the Summit President Aquino is scheduled to attend on Sunday a gala dinner hosted by Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. On Monday he will join other Asean leaders in the opening ceremony for the Summit at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, where the establishment of the Asean community will be discussed, and will later take part in separate meetings with representatives from the Asean inter-parliamentary assembly, the Asean business advisory council, and the Asean youth and civil society groups.

Following the meetings President Aquino will fly to Langkawi with his counterparts for the retreat session and finally the closing ceremony of the 26th Asean Summit. With a report from Jeannette I. Andrade, Philippine Daily Inquirer/ DPL/AC

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