Filipino boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao hugs Mary Jane Veloso, a Philippine death row inmate, as his wife Jinkee Pacquiao (R) watches on during their visit to Wirogunan prison in Yogyakarta on July 10, 2015. AFP PHOTO / SURYO WIBOWO
During his one-hour visit to Mary Jane Veloso in Indonesia on Friday, boxing icon and Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao centered on one message to his fellow Filipino—don’t lose hope.
Pacquiao said Veloso herself, who is currently detained at the Wirogunan Penitentiary in Yogyakarta after being convicted for drug trafficking, has not yet given up the fight.
“Sabi ko [sa kanya] huwag mawalan ng pag-asa. Nakangiti siya, tapos parang naging emotional pa kami doon, and then nag-pray kami sa kanya. Sabi ko pray lang tayo sa Panginoon dahil God will make a way na makalabas ka dito, na hindi matuloy ‘yung sintensya,” Pacquiao said in an interview with radio station DZMM.
(I told her not to lose hope. She was smiling, then we became emotional, and then we prayed for her. I told her let’s pray because God will make a way for you to leave [this prison], for the death sentence to be commuted.)
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Veloso was set to be executed in April after she was arrested with 2.6 kilograms of heroin at Adisucipito International Airport in 2010, but the Indonesian government granted her a temporary reprieve after her alleged recruiter surrendered to the police.
“Hindi siya nawalan ng pag-asa kahit nasa loob siya ng kulungan. Sabi niya huwag tayong mawalan ng tiwala sa Panginoon, dahil siya lang ang gagawa ng paraan para maging maayos ang lahat,” Pacquiao added.
(She didn’t lose hope even in detention. She said let’s not lose trust in God because he is the only one who can make things right.)
Convinced that Veloso was innocent, Pacquiao admitted that he was moved to tears after leaving the prison: “Napaiyak talaga ako dahil, actually pinipigilan ko doon sa loob kasi ang daming tao. Paglabas ko, doon talaga ako naiyak.”
(I cried; I was trying not to inside the cell because there were many people. I cried after I went out.)
Pacquiao was accompanied by his wife Jinkee, Philippine ambassador to Indonesia Maria Lumen Isletta, other embassy officials, Indonesian lawyers and prosecutors, and officials of energy drink firm PT Sido Muncul, who brought him to Indonesia for a commercial shoot.
“I’m sure sa aking pakikipagpulong kay Mary Jane, si Mary Jane talagang inosenteng-inosente. Walang kamuwang-muwang pa. Hindi ka mag-iisip na magagawa niya,” he said. “Sabi niya sa akin na, ang pinanghahawakan ko ang Panginoon na lang kasi alam niya na wala akong kasalanan kaya hindi natuloy ‘yung bitay sa akin.”
(When I met her, I’m convinced she’s innocent and capable of doing what she had been convicted of. She told me she’s holding on to God because he knows I did nothing wrong that’s why I got a reprieve.)
Mary Jane’s mother Celia Veloso thanked Pacquiao for visiting her daughter, adding that she also wished to meet Pacquiao to personally express her gratitude.
“Manny, maraming maraming salamat. Alam kong may isa kang salita dahil noong nanawagan ako umaksyon ka kaagad. Tapos ngayon tinupad mo ‘yung pangako mo na dadalawin mo ‘yung anak ko,” the older Veloso said in the same radio interview.
(Thank you so much Manny. We know you have word of honor because when I appealed for help, you acted fast. Today, you fulfilled your promise to see my daughter in jail.)
Pacquiao said he also planned to meet with Indonesia President Jokowi Widodo, but added that his camp is yet to receive a confirmation as Widodo was informed late.
READ: Pacquiao thanks Jokowi on maiden Indonesia visit
In April, days before his megabuck bout with Floyd Mayweather Jr., Pacquiao issued a televised statement urging Widodo to grant executive clemency to Veloso, saying that it would be a “moral booster” in his fight.
READ: Pacquiao asks Indonesia to spare Veloso’s life