Palace Assures Veloso Family: Gov’t. Going After Alleged Recruiter
Migrante appeals anew for Mary Jane Veloso. Members of Migrante International, along with the family of Mary Jane Veloso, the Filipino mother who is facing execution in Indonesia for drug smuggling, rally outside the Indonesian Embassy in Makati on Monday, April 20, to urge Indonesian President Joko Widodo to spare Veloso’s life. Danny Pata
Malacañang on Monday assured the family of Mary Jane Veloso, the Filipina on death row in Indonesia, that the government is going after her alleged recruiter who supposedly trick her into carrying drugs abroad.
At a press briefing, Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said authorities had already located Veloso’s recruiter.
“Natunghayan ko na ang ating mga awtoridad ay tinunton na kung sino ‘yung recruiter o kung sino man ‘yung partido na nag-udyok kay Mary Jane o ‘yung nagbigay sa kanya ‘nung kalakal na kanyang dinala ‘nung siya ay nadakip,” Coloma told reporters.
“Bahagi ito ng paghahanap ng ating pamahalaan ng mga paraan para makatulong sa kanyang apela,” he added.
Last week, Veloso’s family appealed to President Benigno Aquino III to help arrest Maria Kristina Sergio, who supposedly recruited the convicted Filipina for work and allegedly tricked her into traveling with 2.6 kilograms of heroin.
Indonesia is expected to push through with its executions after the Asian–African Summit in Bandung, which will conclude on April 24. Its Supreme Court had rejected the Philippine government’s appeal for a judicial review. Philippine authorities said a second appeal is in the offing.
Coloma maintained that the government is doing everything to save Veloso’s life.
“Nakita naman natin na noong nakaraan ay ginawa ng pamahalaan ang lahat ng nararapat at patuloy na ginagawa ng ating pamahalaan ang lahat ng puwedeng magawa para makatulong sa pagpapaligtas sa buhay ni Mary Jane Veloso,” he said.
The DFA earlier said that Aquino had written several times to former Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and incumbent President Joko Widodo for appeal for clemency for Veloso. Widodo, however, turned down Aquino’s appeal.
Vice President Jejomar Binay, the presidential adviser on OFW concerns, said he will try to personally appeal to Widodo to spare Veloso’s life when he attends the Asian-African Summit.