Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia — Racing against time, President Aquino will make a last-ditch appeal to Indonesian President Joko Widodo to spare the life of Mary Jane Veloso, a Filipino worker facing death for drug trafficking.
The President flew to Kuala Lumpur to attend the 26th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit and related meetings on April 26 to 28 where he will have a chance to meet with his Indonesian counterpart. Both the Philippines and Indonesia are member-nations of the ASEAN.
“Sa pagdalo po natin sa ASEAN Summit na ito, kukunin na rin natin ang pagkakataon na ipagpatuloy ang ating pagsisikap upang matulungan ang kababayan nating si Mary Jane Veloso (When I attend the ASEAN summit, I will seize the opportunity to exert effort to help Mary Jane Veloso),” the President said before leaving Manila for the ASEAN assembly in Kuala Lumpur and Langkawi.
“Doon sisikapin nating kausapin si Pangulong Joko Widodo ng Indonesia upang iapela muli ang kanyang kaso (We will try to talk to President Joko Widodo of Indonesia to appeal anew her case),” Aquino added.
Veloso, convicted of a drug-related offense, is scheduled for execution via firing squad on April 28. On that day, the President is scheduled to attend the 11th Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asian Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) Summit before flying back to Manila.
President Aquino previously wrote a letter to Widodo seeking clemency for Veloso but the Indonesian government reportedly stood by the death sentence of the Filipino worker. It was the third letter sent by Aquino to the Indonesian authorities on Veloso’s case. He previously wrote to then Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and then to Widodo.
Manila Bulletin
