Indonesia stops execution of Mary Jane Veloso – DFA

Mary Jane Veloso
Veloso who was meted a death sentence for the offense of drug trafficking put forward the defense that the illegal recruiters duped her into smuggling heroin from Malaysia to Indonesia.

MANILA, April 29 — OFW Mary Jane Veloso was spared from execution following last minute phone conversation between President Benigno S. Aquino III and Indonesian leader Jokowi Widodo, reports said. The Indonesian government has granted reprieve to Filipino drug convict, who was among the nine prisoners earlier scheduled for execution after midnight on Wednesday.

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“We are relieved that the execution of Mary Jane Veloso was not carried out tonight. The Lord has answered our prayers,” Foreign Affairs spokesman Charles Jose announced in a press conference minutes after Indonesia carried out the execution. The eight prisoners include two Australians, one Brazilian, four Africans and one Indonesian. Jose declined to provide comments when pressed for further details.

Veloso’s life was spared following last minute phone conversation between President Benigno S. Aquino III and Indonesian leader Jokowi Widodo, reports said.

Indonesia, which earlier rejected President Aquino’s repeated appeals for clemency and Manila’s motion to review the Filipino’s case, decided to postpone the death sentence after Veloso’s recruiter voluntarily surrendered to Philippine authorities on the day of her execution, reports added.

Charges of illegal recruitment, human trafficking and estafa were filed against Maria Kristina Sergio, who was said to be the one who tricked Veloso into bringing the suitcase laden with 2.6 kilograms of heroin to Indonesia on April 2010. Veloso maintained her innocence, saying she was not aware that there were drugs stashed inside the suitcase. (PNA)

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One thought on “Indonesia stops execution of Mary Jane Veloso – DFA”

  1. Many believed Mary jane Veloso will get executed. In its editorial, [(The Philippine Star) | Updated April 29, 2015 – 12:00am] said: ” As we are once again tragically reminded, however, there is a dark side to the migrant worker phenomenon. This is shown in the story of Mary Jane Veloso, just 30 years old, who faced the firing squad in Indonesia.

    Born to an impoverished family in Nueva Ecija, married at 17 and separated after two sons, Mary Jane was the typical prey for human traffickers, vulnerable to promises of non-existent jobs overseas. Alone in unfamiliar surroundings, she was also vulnerable to recruitment as a drug mule. Whether or not she was an outwitting courier of 2.6 kilos of heroin, it looks like her two young boys will be entering adulthood without a mother.”

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