Mary Jane Veloso —Photo courtesy of Veloso family
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) visited the family of Mary Jane Veloso in Nueva Ecija over the weekend to offer support ahead of her return to the Philippines.
Veloso, an overseas Filipino worker who was spared execution in Indonesia in 2015 on charges of drug trafficking, is set to return home following years of negotiations between Manila and Jakarta.
On Saturday, Veloso’s family led by her parents, Celia and Cesar, welcomed Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Cacdac and his team in General Natividad, Nueva Ecija. The municipal government hosted a “salo-salo” (gathering) for the family.
Assistance to family
Cacdac said he met the Veloso family on President Marcos’ orders to provide government assistance to them.
The DMW chief also promised to offer psychosocial counseling for Mary Jane’s eldest son, Daniel, as well as skills training through the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda), and allowances to support his education.
During his visit, Cacdac spoke online with Veloso’s sister, who is based in Riyadh, and discussed concerns about her employer and her desire to return home.
The department said Cacdac advised her to remain calm and wait for the visit of Migrant Workers Office officers, who would arrange for her safe repatriation.
“Hopefully, we can bring her home before Christmas,” Cacdac assured Celia and the family, as he promised to refer the medical concerns of her grandchildren to the Department of Health.
The DMW said it would continue to work closely with the family, ensuring they receive medical assistance and other support programs to improve their welfare and prospects.
Emanuel San Juan, municipal administrator of General Natividad in Nueva Ecija who represented Mayor Anita Arocena during the visit, reaffirmed the local government’s commitment to supporting the Veloso family with employment assistance and skills training from Tesda.
“This visit is a testament to our ongoing commitment to the welfare of our overseas workers and their families. We will not leave them behind, and we will continue to extend support to Nanay Celia and her family, especially in helping them secure a better future for her grandchildren,” Cacdac said.
Appeal for clemency
Since the announcement of Veloso’s transfer to the Philippines, her family and several advocacy groups have urged the President to grant her immediate clemency. However, officials have indicated that this process may take time because the Philippines must first honor its commitments to Indonesia.
Justice Undersecretary Raul Vasquez explained that the government cannot automatically pardon Veloso or grant her executive clemency upon her arrival as this could be seen as reneging on the Philippines’ agreement with Indonesia, which allowed Veloso’s transfer as a humanitarian gesture.
Details of the agreement and the specific conditions regarding Veloso’s transfer are still being negotiated, according to a joint statement from the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Justice.
The statement emphasized that the Philippine government is “bound to honor the conditions that would be set for the transfer, particularly the service of sentence by Mary Jane Veloso in the Philippines, save the death penalty, which is prohibited under our laws.”