Mary Jane Veloso’s family seeks CBCP help

Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (Photo courtesy of CBCP)

MANILA — The family of Mary Jane Veloso, who is facing execution in Indonesia, has sought the help of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) for the release of the overseas Filipino workers (OFW) from jail.

Mary Jane’s family, composed of her mother Cecilla, her father, Cesar with her two children, went to the CBCP main office in Intramuros, Manila on Friday to ask for assistance for her daughter to be released from jail.

“Ang mahihiling ko lang talaga ay makalaya ang anak ko. Pinaka aasam sa amin buong pamilya. Wala na kaming hanggad kung di makalaya siya. Kahit naghihirap kami hindi ko kailangan ang yaman, (basta nandyan) anak ko. Yun lang gusto ko mangyari ang anak ko po tulungan nila makalaya,” said the weeping mother during Friday’s press briefing.

For his part, Fr. Jerome Secillano, executive secretary of the CBCP Public Affairs Committee, said they would initially hear the testimonies of Mary Jane’s parents before they come up with an official statement.

“According to the (CBCP) Secretary General, we will hear them first. Let’s see from there if the conference will issue a statement to help Mary Jane and also to give hope,” he said.

The Catholic priest added, “As of now the purpose of the meeting is to talk with the parents, to see the circumstances and to take steps based on what we’ve heard.”

With this, Secillano urged OFWs to be cautious and do not easily trust people so as not to fall victims to unscrupulous individuals.

“We should not simply accept things from people we hardly know, even if it will benefit us. OFWs should make sure that they really know the person before they trust them,” he said.

Secillano added, “Hindi ho kami nangangako kung anuman konkreto na gagawin ng simbahan. Ang mahalaga dito ay nakikiisa ang simbahan…ang posible na agad magawa ng simbahan e magbigy ng pahayag tungkol sa kso ng anak ninyo. Makiusap din sa kinauukulan na sana nga ang anak ninyo ay mabigyan ng pagkakataon na dingin ang kaso.”

Veloso, 30, has been in jail for five years after being caught at Yogyakarta airport in Indonesia with 2.6 kilograms (5.73 pounds) of heroin.

She is among a batch of foreigners facing imminent execution.