Miriam urges Senate to pass bills to protect OFWs

Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago has urged the Senate to act on legislation protecting OFWs in light of the scheduled execution of Mary Jane Veloso in Indonesia for drug trafficking.
 
“It appears that Veloso is a victim not only of illegal recruitment, but also of drug syndicates using unsuspecting OFWs as drug couriers. Such cases may be avoided if we put in place stronger safeguards,” the senator said in a statement on Saturday.
 
Veloso was arrested with 2.6 kilograms of heroin at the Yogyakarta Airport  in 2010. Her parents claim a recruiter gave her the suitcase while traveling from Malaysia to Indonesia.
 
She is the only Filipino in a group of foreigners facing the firing squad for drug smuggling in Indonesia, but Santiago noted that 123 other Filipinos remain on death row around the world.
 
The senator said  all "legal and diplomatic means" must be exerted for other OFWs to avoid Veloso's situation and to beef up legislation to prevent situations where Filipinos are "wrongfully deprived of life or liberty".
 
“The ideal situation is one where remedy is not necessary. We must prevent these cases from happening,” she said.
 
Malacañang reassured Veloso's family on Saturday that the government will continue its second appeal for judicial review.
 
Apart from her freedom, Veloso's family pleaded with the government and President Benigno Aquino III to arrest Kristina Sergio, the woman who allegedly tricked her into bringing a suitcase with heroin hiden inside to Indonesia. — Rie Takumi/JDS, GMA News


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