Palace: Govt doing everything to spare Pinay from Indonesia death row

Malacañang on Saturday reassured the kin of Mary Jane Veloso – the Filipina facing execution in Indonesia over an attempt to smuggle 2.6 kilos of heroin – that the Philippine government continues to do everything possible to save her from death row.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said the Philippine government is moving within Indonesia's legal framework to save Veloso.

"Ginagawa ng ating pamahalaan ang ating magagawa within the legal framework of Indonesia. (Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario) said the Philippines will continue to push other legal avenues to help her case," she said on government-run dzRB radio, amid appeals from Veloso's mother for compassion.

The Department of Foreign Affairs, in a statement on Friday, said an initial appeal for judicial review of Veloso's case was denied by the Indonesian Supreme Court.

But del Rosario reiterated the government "will continue to exhaust all possible diplomatic and legal means to save Mary Jane’s life."

Last March 24, del Rosario made a humanitarian visit to Veloso at the Yogyakarta Penitentiary to check on her condition and to personally offer comfort.

He also reassured her of the Philippine government’s continued support for her.

"We wish to assure her family that the Philippine government is giving its full attention to this case and that it stands ready to provide them with all the assistance they may require," he added.

Veloso was arrested in April 2010. The government has since hired a private lawyer to help Veloso pursue a legal review of her case.

The DFA also arranged for Veloso’s family to visit her in prison from February 19 to 21. The DFA remains in close contact with Veloso’s family. — Joel Locsin/LBG, GMA News

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

PCG: China’s bullying in West Philippine Sea undermines international law --- Ghio Ong - The Philippine Star

MANILA, Philippines — Letting China sustain its aggression in the West Philippine Sea would make other countries doubt the strength of international law currently being asserted by the Philippines, Commodore Jay Tarriela of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said. “Allowing China to blatantly disregard the established rules-based order threatens the very foundation that we all depend on,” he wrote in a post on X last Tuesday. He added, “If we permit this, countries worldwide may forget why this order was created in the first place. Nations could begin to doubt the significance of adhering to international law if powerful bullies can easily violate it.” Tarriela also said defiance of other countries to a rules-based order would result in the prevalence of cruelty. He wrote, “This could lead us back to a time when might makes right, undermining the global structures that keep human greed, savagery and barbarism in check. Such a scenario would not only invite challenges from aggressive ...
Read more

China ships maintain presence in key West Philippine Sea areas --- Michael Punongbayan - The Philippine Star

STAR / Michael Varcas MANILA, Philippines — While Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) have decreased in number, they have maintained a presence in three key land features where naval and coast guard ships have intensified operations in the past seven days, according to the Philippine Navy. Latest monitoring by the Philippine Navy showed armed ships of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) maintaining a menacing presence around the grounded BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal, Panatag Shoal and Escoda Shoal. According to the Philippine Navy, there are 17 Chinese military vessels and 28 China Coast Guard (CCG) boats spotted inside the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) between Sept. 23 and 30, or one vessel more than in the previous week Sept.17-23. Five of the warships were seen roaming around the vicinity of Escoda Shoal, along with 10 CCG vessels and 12 maritime militia vessels (MMVs). There are also two PLAN ships in Ayungin Shoal as well as 10 CCG boats and 12...
Read more

Social media seen as cause of rising intermarriages --- Helen Flores - The Philippine Star

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) sees social media as the main reason for the rising number of Filipinos marrying or becoming partners of foreign nationals. In 2022, the CFO recorded 6,854 marriages or partnerships with foreign nationals, a 40.1 percent increase from the 4,891 “intermarriages” recorded in 2021. “First of all, what we see in the increase in the marriage rate of Filipinos or Filipinos with foreign partners is because of social media, (that) is number one; matchings; letters, introduction of their friends,” CFO chairperson Romulo Arugay said at the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon public briefing yesterday. Arugay said the agency has been registering a high number of intermarriages since 2007, but the figures went down during the COVID-19 pandemic. From over 6,500 Filipinos who married foreign nationals, only 600 are men, he said. Most of them are married to Americans, Japanese, Germans, Canadians and Australians, Arugay said. Arugay warned Fi...
Read more