JAKARTA, Indonesia—The case of Mary Jane Veloso, an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) who has been on death row here after being caught with packs of heroin 12 years ago, will now be led by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), instead of Malacañang.
Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Susan "Toots" Ople made the pronouncement on Sunday as she said it is the DFA that "has the institutional merit and knowledge on the status" of her case.
During a press briefing today ahead of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s meet-and-greet with Filipinos here, Ople also said it is important to only have "one voice" for a case that has a "very sensitive dimension."
“It will be the Department of Foreign Affairs who will be taking the lead,” she said.
This developed as Veloso's family sent a letter to the President through the DMW to appeal for their daughter's clemency. Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles said she has no idea if the letter had already reached the President, although she said Marcos Jr. "is aware of the issue."
"The DMW will defer to the DFA, and I am sure Secretary Manalo... I am sure that he will be at the appropriate time, open to saying more about this case," Ople told reporters when asked if Veloso's case would be tackled during Marcos Jr.'s state visit to Indonesia.
In April 2010, Veloso was arrested here for supposedly smuggling 2.6 kilograms of heroin in a suitcase allegedly entrusted to her by her godsister.
Former president Benigno Aquino III, in 2015, called for Veloso's clemency. Meanwhile, ex-President Rodrigo Duterte was reportedly not opposed to Veloso's execution.
But this time, Malacañang has not issued its stand on the matter. This, as Cruz-Angeles called it “sensitive nature."
Even before the Veloso family sent her agency a letter, Ople said she and Manalo had already talked about several issues, including the case of Veloso, that might be brought up during the Indonesian trip.
During a House hearing on Aug. 31, Manalo said Veloso's case "is one of the issues which we will raise during the state visit" of President Marcos to Indonesia.