Advertisement
Philippines again urges Indonesia to release drug convict Mary Jane Veloso after 7 years on death row
- The Filipino mother of two was moments away from facing the firing squad in 2015 when Indonesian President Joko Widodo granted her a reprieve
- Her supporters claim she was duped by an international drugs syndicate into carrying a suitcase lined with 2.6kg of heroin to Indonesia in 2010
Reading Time:2 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
Agence France-Pressein Manila
The Philippines has sought clemency for Filipino woman Mary Jane Veloso, who is on death row in Indonesia, in the latest high-level attempt to save her life.
Advertisement
Veloso was arrested in Indonesia in 2010 carrying a suitcase lined with 2.6kg (5.7 pounds) of heroin and was later sentenced to death.
The mother of two was moments away from facing the firing squad in 2015 when she was granted a temporary reprieve after a woman suspected of recruiting her was arrested in the Philippines.
On Sunday, Philippine Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo made a request for “executive clemency” for Veloso during a meeting with his Indonesian counterpart Retno Marsudi in Jakarta, on the sidelines of a state visit by Philippine President Bongbong Marcos.
“Foreign Minister Marsudi said she would consult the Ministry of Justice on the matter,” Marcos’ press secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles said in a video posted to Twitter on Tuesday, citing the foreign ministry.
Indonesia has some of the world’s toughest anti-narcotics laws.
Veloso’s case attracted huge attention in the Philippines and Indonesia, with rallies of support and boxing great Manny Pacquiao pleading for her life to be spared.
Advertisement