Indonesia prevents Veloso from traveling to PH
EMBRACING HER FATE WITH OPEN ARMS Condemned to death, Filipino Mary Jane Veloso still manages to smile and shine in a colorful and floral Indonesian dress at Yogyakarta prison on Kartini Day on April 21, incredibly only seven days before her scheduled execution, to honor Indonesia’s national hero and woman’s rights activist Raden Kartini. AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
JAKARTA — Indonesia will not allow Filipina death row convict Mary Jane Veloso to travel to the Philippines to appear in court on May 8 and May 14 as requested by the Philippine government, an official said on Thursday.
The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) spokesman Tony Spontana said the government would instead facilitate Veloso to conduct a video conference or present written testimony to prove her innocence during the planned court hearing in the Philippines against her alleged trafficker Maria Kristina Sergio, who voluntarily turned herself in to the local police on Tuesday.
“[The Philippine government] has asked Veloso [to come to the Philippines] to testify before the court, but we consider it impossible. Today we will respond to their letter and offer solutions,” Tony said, adding that the letter was dated on Apr. 28, the day Veloso was scheduled to be executed together with eight other convicts.
Veloso avoided execution on Tuesday thanks to Sergio’s emergence in the Philippines. Veloso was allegedly a victim of human trafficking.
Tony said the Philippines had scheduled the court sessions on May 8 and May 14, kompas.com reported.
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