PHL Execs to Discuss Veloso Case with Indonesian Officials on July 29
Philippine officials will meet with Indonesian officials before the month ends to update them on the latest developments in the cases filed against the alleged recruiters of Mary Jane Veloso, the Filipina sentenced to death in Indonesia over drug smuggling.
A statement from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Tuesday said its officials, together with representatives from the Department of Justice (DOJ), will be meeting with Indonesian officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Law and Human Rights, and the Attorney General’s Office on Wednesday, July 29.
The officials will also discuss the assistance available under the Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Among Like-Minded ASEAN Member Countries (ASEAN MLAT).
“This is part of the DFA’s continuous commitment to provide assistance to Mary Jane Veloso,” the DFA said.
Veloso, convicted for bringing 2.6 kilograms of heroin to Indonesia in 2010, was spared from the firing squad last April after the Philippine government, in its appeal, highlighted her role in prosecuting the people who allegedly recruited her in the Philippines.
The indictment of the alleged recruiters, Maria Kristina Sergio and Julius Lacanilao, for estafa and qualified trafficking was seen as a step toward saving Veloso, who claimed she was duped into bringing the illegal drugs to Indonesia, from the death penalty. —Rie Takumi/KBK, GMA News