VP Binay to try to personally appeal Veloso’s case to Indonesian leader

Vice President Jejomar Binay will try to personally appeal to Indonesian President Joko Widodo to spare the life of Mary Jane Veloso, the Filipina facing execution in Indonesia for drug smuggling.

“I am hoping that we will be given the opportunity to personally appeal to His Excellency’s kind heart for the commutation of the sentence of Mary Jane,” Binay said in a press statement Monday.

Binay is set to fly to Indonesia on April 22 to attend the Asian–African Summit in Bandung, which will be attended by leaders from 29 countries who will “discuss peace, security, and economic development in the midst of emerging problems in many parts of the world.”

Veloso, 30, was convicted for drug smuggling after 2.6 kilograms of heroin was found in her suitcase by  authorities at the Yogyakarta Airport in April 2010. The Philippine government's appeal for a judicial review was rejected by the Indonesian Supreme Court, but Filipino authorities said a second appeal was in the offing.

The Philippine government claims Veloso was not given a proper interpreter during her trial.

Compassion from Indonesia

While in Indonesia, Binay will hold bilateral discussions with his counterpart, Vice President Jusuf Kalla, on issues concerning Philippines and Indonesian relations.

Binay is also set to attend activities hosted by President Widodo, including a 20-minute historical walk from Savoy Homann Hotel to Gedung Merdeka.

“I intend to bring to His Excellency our people’s hope for compassion, given the circumstances surrounding the case,” said Binay, who is the presidential adviser on overseas Filipino workers concerns.

He said he hopes Indonesia will look on Veloso with compassion, since she is not part of any organized drug syndicate.

Mary Jane a victim

“She, too, was a victim,” Binay said, adding that a person whom Veloso trusted and knew personally “took advantage of her trust when she asked Veloso to hand carry a luggage containing illegal drugs.”

He further said that just recently, President Widodo had appealed to the King of Saudi Arabia not to execute an Indonesian domestic worker.

“I am certain His Excellency understands why we in government are doing all we can to save the life of our kababayan. It is the responsibility of governments to come to the aid of their countrymen, especially those in difficult circumstances,” said Binay.

While in Indonesia, Binay is also scheduled to hold a dialogue with the Filipino community there. —Amita O. Legaspi/KBK, 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