DFA chief Manalo raises Veloso case in meeting with Indonesian counterpart — Angeles
JAKARTA, Indonesia—Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles confirmed on Monday that Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Enrique Manalo brought up the case of Mary Jane Veloso during his meeting with his Indonesian counterpart.
However, Cruz-Angeles did not disclose any information about Manalo's meeting with Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi as she said it is a "sensitive" issue.
"On that we can confirm because Secretary Manalo did announce that. That's the only thing we can confirm," she said in a press briefing after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. visited Indonesian President Joko Widodo.
Nevertheless, the Press Secretary gave assurance that the "DFA continues to look for solutions."
On death row for 12 years, Veloso was an overseas Filipino worker who was arrested in 2010 in Yogyakarta after she was caught with several packs of smuggled heroin.
Cruz-Angeles also said she could not confirm if the President discussed the same case during his meeting with Widodo.
Before Marcos Jr. left for Indonesia, the Veloso family appealed to him to bring their daughter home and asked for clemency.