Mary Jane Veloso says she’s a ‘new person’

The family of Mary Jane Veloso visits her at the Wirongunan Women’s Penitentiary in Yogyakarta Indonesia days after her 31st birthday. PHOTO FROM MIGRANTE INTERNATIONAL

A “cheerful” Mary Jane Veloso spent quality time with her family in Indonesia while in prison to celebrate her 31^st birthday.

“She looked at peace and was both cheerful and sedate,” Migrante International said in a statement on Wednesday.

“Her family spent the whole time bonding and catching up since she was given a reprieve in April last year by the Indonesian government,” the labor group added.

On January 11, Veloso’s parents Cesar and Celia, her two sons Mark Darren and Mark Daniel, private counsel Atty. Edre Olalia and Migrante Rights and Welfare Program Coordinator Laorence Castillo went to Indonesia to visit the Filipina drug convict in prison.

READ: LOOK: Mary Jane Veloso’s family now in Indonesia for jail visit

Quoting Veloso’s parents, Migrante said Mary Jane “was more prayerful now.”

“According to her parents, she was more prayerful now and she said she is a ‘new person’,” Migrante said.

During her family’s visit on Tuesday, Veloso was reunited with her parents and two children.

“They sang happy birthday, joined in by an Indonesian prosecutor, jail guards and Mary Jane’s spiritual adviser. They partook on simple fast food and cake. The family brought her gifts and letters from supporters in the Philippines,” Migrante said.

National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) Secretary General Edre Olalia assured Veloso that her legal counsels were “taking good care of her cases against her illegal recruiter in the Philippines and that she should not worry.”

Migrante said the Veloso family will return this Wednesday and spend private time with her inside the jail grounds.

Her Indonesian lawyers, the group said, are also flying in from Jakarta and are scheduled to have a social lunch with Olalia. CDG

READ: PH gov’t: No ‘advanced notification’ from Indonesia on Veloso execution