Petition for Mary Jane Veloso's clemency will reach Marcos—Palace
Malacañang made an assurance that the petition for Mary Jane Veloso's clemency would reach President Marcos.
Mary Jane Veloso meets with her family and relatives upon arriving at the Correctional Institution for Women (CIW) in Mandaluyong City on December 18, 2024. (Santi San Juan/MANILA BULLETIN)
Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said this on Friday, July 4, when sought for the Palace's thoughts on the petition urging Marcos to grant amnesty to Veloso.
“Wala po ako ngayong kaalaman in particular kung kailan po nadala iyong sulat pero makakarating po ito sa Pangulo (I do not have specific information right now on when the letter was delivered, but it will reach the President), Castro said in a Palace briefing.
“At kung wala naman tayong malalabag na batas at ito ay ikakabuti ng ating kababayan makakakuha naman tayo po malamang ng positibong reaksyon dito (And if no laws will be violated and it will benefit our fellow citizen, we will most likely receive a positive response to it),” Castro added.
Veloso's family, lawyers, religious and human rights groups submitted to Malacañang on Friday a petition seeking Veloso's freedom.
It can be recalled that in December last year, Veloso returned to the Philippines after the Indonesian government turned over the legal custody for Veloso to the country.
She has since remained in prison at the Correctional Institute for Women in Mandaluyong City, for her drug conviction.
Veloso was convicted for drug trafficking in Indonesia in 2010. She has been on death row in Indonesia for 14 years prior to her return to the country. a