The Philippine government has once again appealed for clemency for Mary Jane Veloso, a Filipino woman on death row in Indonesia. This renewed appeal was made ahead of the Indonesian President’s visit to Manila.
Mary Jane Veloso was arrested in Indonesia in 2010 with 2.6kg of heroin in her suitcase. She was subsequently sentenced to death but received a last-minute reprieve in 2015. The reprieve came after the arrest of a woman in the Philippines suspected of recruiting Veloso.
Philippine Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo, after meeting with Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, expressed hopes for a resolution and clemency. “We’re working to see whether we can find a way towards resolving the case soon,” Manalo stated.
The request for clemency was reiterated by Manalo at the meeting, confirmed by foreign department spokeswoman Teresita Daza. This is not the first time the Philippines has sought clemency for Veloso, with a previous attempt made in 2022.
The meeting between Indonesian President Joko Widodo and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos is scheduled for Wednesday. Widodo is nearing the end of his tenure, being in the final term of his presidency.
Veloso, who turns 39 on Wednesday, has her family, including parents and children, expected to join a protest near the palace on the same day.