DFA: Legal documents on Mary Jane Veloso case sent to Jakarta

Mary Jane Veloso

MANILA, Philippines — Legal interrogatories required from the Regional Trial Court on the case of Filipino death row convict Mary Jane Veloso have been sent to Jakarta, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro said on Wednesday. 

“It was established during Indonesian President Joko Widodo’s official visit that the legal interrogatories on the case of Mary Jane Veloso have been sent to Jakarta for Veloso to answer, as part of her testimony on the pending case that she filed against her illegal recruiters,” said Lazaro in a statement. 

According to Lazaro, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. expressed hope for the eventual granting of clemency for Veloso “at the appropriate time.”

“The Philippine government will continuously exhaust all efforts to assist Ms. Veloso and her family,” Lazaro emphasized. 

According to Lazaro, Veloso was able to spend several days with her family in December with the help of the DFA and the Philippine Embassy in Jakarta. 

In 2010, Veloso was apprehended at Adisucipto International Airport in Yogyakarta after she was found in possession of more than 2.6 kilograms of heroin.

Veloso maintained she was unaware of the contents of her luggage as it was only given by her recruiters, Julius Lacanilao and Maria Cristina Sergio.