MANILA, Philippines — Following Mary Jane Veloso’s return to the Philippines, her lawyer shared photos that captured moments of closeness between him and her youngest son Mark Darren over the years.
To celebrate her arrival in the country, National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) lawyer Atty. Edre Olalia shared pictures of him with Mark Darren in 2015 in Indonesia and at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Manila earlier Wednesday.
Veloso returned to the country Wednesday morning after more than 14 years on death row in Indonesia.
In the first picture, Olalia is seen carrying Mark Darren, who is kissing him on the cheek. The other photo shows the boy now carrying Olalia, with both of them smiling at the camera.
The photos were also reposted by the Integrated Bar of the Philippines – Human Rights Committee Facebook page, expressing pride in Olalia.
“We are proud of our first-ever IBP Human Rights Awardee for Luzon Atty Edre Olalia,” it said.
Veloso reunited with her two sons and other family members at the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong City.
During their reunion, Veloso’s sons could not help but tear up as they hugged their mother.
Her sister and other relatives also visited her and gave her flowers. The last to arrive at the detention facility were her parents.
READ: Ma excited to cook Mary Jane Veloso’s ‘homecoming’ meal
The commercial flight carrying Veloso arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 in Pasay City around 5:40 a.m., and the convoy transporting Veloso arrived at the CIW around 7:06 a.m., according to the Bureau of Corrections.
Veloso was sentenced to death in October 2010 after she was caught carrying 2.6 kilograms of heroin at Yogyakarta airport in Indonesia on April 25 of the same year.