Palace on Veloso reprieve: Everybody did their part

In a bid to end the debate on who should be credited for the reprieve of Mary Jane Veloso, Malacañang on Saturday simply said “everyone did their part.”

“The whole nation united in prayer and concern, together with people of goodwill from around the world, made possible this reprieve for Ms Veloso,” deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said in a press briefing.

She added, “It’s really not important for the President to get credit … At the end of the day, what is important is that our appeal was given due consideration, and that because of that due consideration by the Indonesian government, Mary Jane was able to get a reprieve.”

Valte, however, pointed out President Benigno Aquino III had been requesting for an appeal since 2011.

“The President’s appeals were accompanied by similar efforts from agencies such as the DOJ (Department of Justice), together with support for the handling of her case via the DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs),” she said.

Days before Veloso was set to be executed, Aquino met with Indonesian President Joko Widodo at the sidelines of the 26^th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit. Widodo also met with a migrant workers group.

READ: Aquino raises Veloso case with ‘sympathetic’ Indonesian president

While others credited Indonesia’s decision to Aquino, some pointed out it was a result of the worldwide campaign of human rights’ and migrants’ groups.

READ: Indonesia: Reprieve due to Aquino plea; credit-grabbing in full swing

Veloso’s mother Celia had said she did not believe Aquino’s last-minute discussion with Widodo saved her daughter.

READ: Veloso mom denies Aquino gov’t role in Mary Jane’s execution reprieve

Veloso as witness

“Moving forward, the government will continue to support Ms Veloso as we conduct a full investigation against those accountable for her plight,” Valte said.

She said Veloso will stand as witness against the drug syndicate, which supposedly duped her into carrying 2.6 kilograms of heroin in her luggage. She said zeroing in on the syndicate would “help neutralize a threat to both the Philippines and Indonesia.”

“It is through cooperation and solidarity of this sort that more effective actions can be found to successfully combat and disband the illegal drug network,” she said.

Valte pointed out legal proceedings could now start after Veloso’s alleged recruiters had surfaced.

Extraordinary measure

The spokesperson also said Aquino’s efforts in asking for clemency for jailed Filipinos abroad had always been low profile.

She said they did not make public the President’s letter to former Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in 2011 because they also respected the legal processes of the host country.

READ: Indonesia: Why Aussie pleas failed, Veloso’s heard

“An appeal for clemency is really an extraordinary measure that heads of state resort to whenever their citizens are in peril,” Valte explained.

“We don’t make it public because we don’t want it to seem that we are pressuring the other government when we can, in fact, use our diplomatic channels to do so. RC