Celia Veloso Blasts PH Envoy in Jakarta Anew
Carolyn Bonquin, ABS-CBN News
Posted at 09/03/2015 10:03 PM
MANILA – The Philippine Consul General in Jakarta is under fire for allegedly bungling the case of Mary Jane Veloso, a Filipino on death row in Indonesia for drug trafficking.
“Sa totoo lang, noong nasa Indonesia kami, may sama ako ng loob kay chair Manalo,” said Mary Jane’s mother, Celia Veloso.
Mrs. Veloso was forthright in expressing her grievances against Philippine Consul General in Jakarta, Roberto Manalo, in front of the lower house committee on overseas workers affairs on Wednesday.
Mrs. Veloso’s daughter Mary Jane is sitting on death row in Indonesia after authorities found heroin in her suitcase in 2010.
She alleged that the consul general did not give them the necessary assistance and committed lapses in handling Mary Jane’s case.
She claimed that the consul general might have said something to Mary Jane that caused a misunderstanding in the family.
“Nilalason niya ang isip ni Mary Jane. Nagmamakaawa sa amin bakit daw ganun ang ginawa naming? Bakit pinababa namin si congen Manalo. Wala pong katotohanan yun. Pinag aaway-away niyo kaming pamilya,” she said.
Aside from failing to act on a 2011 request to look into Veloso’ case and providing a competent translator, Veloso’s lawyer Edre Olalia also complained that Manalo ignored him and other lawyers.
Olalia alleged that Manalo treated them as “nuisance”.
“Perhaps 40% of our time naubos sa pakikipaggitgitan. Imbes maging cooperative, helpful hindi. Consul General does not deserve to stay any longer in our embassy in Jakarta,” Olalia said.
For his part, Manalo explained that he just acted in conformity with the laws of Indonesia.
“Ang patakaran ng Indonesia jail system halos katulad sa atin. Pag serious case, usually nasa high security prison. Limited ang vistors,” he said.
Legislators urged Veloso’s lawyer to file an administrative case against Manalo.
They will also ask Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario to recall Manalo.
The consul general insisted he did everything to help Mary Jane. He later apologized for whatever he may have said or done to upset her family.
“Sa aking kalooban, wala akong pagkukulang kay Mary Jane, natulungan ko sa lahat ng nakayanan ko po. Kung meron man akong nasabi, nagawa, na hindi ikinatuwa ng pamilya Veloso at ni Atty. Olalia, buong puso po ako nagpapaumanhin sa kanila. Tatanggapin ko kung ano ang rekomendasyon ng komite na ito,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Department of Justice is still coordinating with Indonesia’s Attorney General on Mary Jane’s case even as the case of her alleged recruiter, Cristina Sergio, is being heard.
The government will seek pardon for Mary Jane if she is found to be a victim of drug trafficking.