Veloso’s execution not annulled, says Jokowi

Indonesian President Joko Widodo. AFP FILE PHOTO/ROMEO GACAD

Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo reaffirmed on Wednesday that the government had postponed the execution of Filipina Mary Jane Veloso, due to new evidence to be presented in a Philippine court.

“There’s a letter from the Philippines [explaining about] human trafficking. It is a postponement [of the execution], not an annulment,” he said on Wednesday.

Jokowi denied the decision was influenced by the Philippine government via a telephone conversation minutes before the planned execution, and said he had discussed the issue with Philippine President Benigno Aquino III on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday.

Veloso was given a temporary reprieve from her scheduled execution on Wednesday morning due to the request from the Philippine president in relation to alleged human trafficking.

Veloso is required to testify as a witness as she is one of the alleged trafficking victims of Maria Kristina Sergio, who voluntarily turned herself in to the police on Tuesday

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