President Marcos Jr. is optimistic that Mary Jane Veloso, jailed for drug smuggling, may soon receive a pardon.
Foreign Affairs official Ma Theresa Lazaro stated the Philippine court’s legal questions for Veloso’s case were forwarded to Jakarta for her response.
”President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. expressed hope that the progression of the case of Ms. Veloso will merit her clemency at the appropriate time,” Lazaro said in a press statement.
Lazaro mentioned that Veloso’s statement on her ongoing lawsuit against her unauthorized recruitment agents would include this information. He added that the Philippines would persistently strive to support Veloso and her relatives.
Indonesian leader Joko Widodo is presently on a formal trip to Manila. The DFA mentioned Veloso’s matter is on the agenda for talks with Philippine and Indonesian representatives.
President Marcos remains hopeful of Mary Jane Veloso clemency
Recently, Jokowi and Marcos convened to reinforce the relationship between their nations. Veloso was found guilty in 2010 for smuggling 26 kilos of heroin in Yogyakarta and sentenced to death. As The Jakarta Post revealed in 2015, Jokowi’s administration postponed Veloso’s execution.
Jokowi stated his actions were in direct answer to an appeal from the Philippines concerning the case. Human trafficking charges and another incident of major unlawful hiring have been lodged against Veloso’s accused abductors, Julius Lacanilao and Cristina Sergio, in Nueva Ecija’s Regional Trial Court.
On Wednesday, as Presidents Joko Widodo and Ferdinand Marcos Jr convened at Malacañang Palace, the relatives of Mary Jane Veloso distributed pleas urging both leaders for her pardon, Migrante reported.
“Kagalang galang na Pangulong Widodo, ako po si Celia Veloso, ina ni Mary Jane Velso, nagmamakaawa at nakikiusap na sana tulungan po ninyong makalaya ang aking anak na labing apat na taon na po na naghirap at nagdusa na walang kasalanan,” read the handwritten letter addressed to Jokowi.
“Sana maunawaan ninyo ako bilang magulang… Sana palayain na po ninyo alang alang sa dalawang anak ni Mary Jane,” it added.
Arman Hernando, head of Migrante Philippines, stated that the Presidential Security Group permitted the Veloso family’s lawyer to enter the Presidential Palace and deliver a letter.
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