Family visits Mary Jane Veloso before heading back to PH
The family of Filipina drug convict Mary Jane Veloso visited her at Wirongunan prison in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, on Thursday before heading home to the Philippines.
In an update posted on Facebook by Veloso’s private lawyer, Edre Olalia, Mary Jane’s parents, siblings and her two sons were at the facility until 3 p.m., Manila time.
They will fly to Jakarta by 5 p.m. (Manila time) and arrive in Manila by Friday morning.
“We are coming home. And hopefully MJ (Mary Jane) sooner or later to follow eventually,” Olalia said.
Meanwhile, Olalia denied claims that it was the “last-minute” efforts of President Benigno Aquino III on Tuesday night that saved Veloso from execution.
READ: Veloso execution stopped
He said that it was the “collective legal and political movement” that pushed the Indonesian government to grant the 11th hour “temporary reprieve” for Veloso.
“Mary Jane’s suspension of execution timeline shows President Benigno S. Aquino’s ‘last-ditch effort’ was not key factor from 8 p.m, April 28, to 12:45 a.m, April 29.”
READ: Veloso reprieve a ‘miracle’
“Last appeal for clemency or reprieve was already denied by 8 p.m. So this did not tilt the balance but the cumulative, collective legal and political movement and pressure over time was the key,” he said.
Veloso was set for execution through firing squad shortly after midnight when the Indonesian government deferred her execution to allow her to testify against her alleged recruiter, Maria Kristina Sergio.
READ: Suspected recruiter emerges; may have saved Veloso
Indonesia President Joko Widodo maintained that her execution was not annuled.
The 30-year-old mother was convicted in 2010 for drug trafficking after 2.6 kilos of heroin were found in her luggage shortly after arriving at Yogyakarta airport. RC
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