PBBM asks Widodo: At least reexamine Mary Jane's case
President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has asked Indonesian President Joko Widodo to at least reexamine the case of Mary Jane Veloso, the overseas Filipino worker (OFW) on Indonesia's death row due to drug charges.
*President Marcos (Yummie Dingding/PPA Pool), Mary Jane Veloso (File photo)*
Marcos revealed this following his participation in the 42nd Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Labuan Bajo, Indonesia, on May 11. In an interview with reporters onboard Philippine Airlines Flight PR001, the President said he brought up Veloso's case with Widodo, but they could not really discuss it since the latter, as chairman of the Summit, was busy. "I mentioned it pero hindi namin napag-usapan (we couldn't talk about it) because, as you can imagine, the President was very busy. But at some point, kapag nagkakalapit kami (whenever we got in contact), I was able to say we're still trying to work hard on that case," he said. According to the President, Indonesia's position on Veloso's case remains unchanged. Because of this, he appealed to Widodo if they could at least review her case. "Sabi ko (I said), the best that we can do, I suppose, is for the Indonesian authorities to reexamine the case as a favor to the Philippines," Marcos said. "Yun lang ang napag-usapan namin (That's all we discussed), not more than that," he added. [On Tuesday, the President said the Philippines has not given up on Veloso despite an "impasse."](https://mb.com.ph/2023/5/10/pbbm-still-hoping-that-indonesia-will-pardon-mary-jane-veloso) Veloso is on death row in Indonesia and was supposed to be executed by firing squad after she was caught with 2.6 kilograms of heroin at an Indonesian airport in 2010. Veloso denied owning the contraband. In April 2015, she was granted a last-minute reprieve after the late president Benigno Aquino III personally appealed to Widodo for a reprieve on Veloso's execution on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Malaysia. The Indonesian government delayed her execution after Veloso's alleged recruiters had already surrendered to Philippine authorities. More than a year later, reports stated that former president Rodrigo Duterte told Widodo that the Philippines would not interfere with Indonesia's legal processes.
*President Marcos (Yummie Dingding/PPA Pool), Mary Jane Veloso (File photo)*
Marcos revealed this following his participation in the 42nd Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Labuan Bajo, Indonesia, on May 11. In an interview with reporters onboard Philippine Airlines Flight PR001, the President said he brought up Veloso's case with Widodo, but they could not really discuss it since the latter, as chairman of the Summit, was busy. "I mentioned it pero hindi namin napag-usapan (we couldn't talk about it) because, as you can imagine, the President was very busy. But at some point, kapag nagkakalapit kami (whenever we got in contact), I was able to say we're still trying to work hard on that case," he said. According to the President, Indonesia's position on Veloso's case remains unchanged. Because of this, he appealed to Widodo if they could at least review her case. "Sabi ko (I said), the best that we can do, I suppose, is for the Indonesian authorities to reexamine the case as a favor to the Philippines," Marcos said. "Yun lang ang napag-usapan namin (That's all we discussed), not more than that," he added. [On Tuesday, the President said the Philippines has not given up on Veloso despite an "impasse."](https://mb.com.ph/2023/5/10/pbbm-still-hoping-that-indonesia-will-pardon-mary-jane-veloso) Veloso is on death row in Indonesia and was supposed to be executed by firing squad after she was caught with 2.6 kilograms of heroin at an Indonesian airport in 2010. Veloso denied owning the contraband. In April 2015, she was granted a last-minute reprieve after the late president Benigno Aquino III personally appealed to Widodo for a reprieve on Veloso's execution on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Malaysia. The Indonesian government delayed her execution after Veloso's alleged recruiters had already surrendered to Philippine authorities. More than a year later, reports stated that former president Rodrigo Duterte told Widodo that the Philippines would not interfere with Indonesia's legal processes.