MANILA — A Malacanang official said on Saturday the Philippine government continues to monitor developments about the fate of Mary Jane Veloso, who is facing execution in Indonesia.
On Friday, Veloso’s family received the order of execution from Indonesia’s Attorney General Office. Such order is given 72 hours before an execution.
Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr., in an interview over state-run radio station DZRB, said the notice did not say any specific date and time when the execution will happen.
”Kaya tayo po ay naga-antabay at sinisikap po nating gawin pa ang lahat ng magagawa. Hindi pa po tayo tumitigil doon sa pagsisikap na matulungan o maisalba si Mary Jane Veloso. (We continue to wait and do all what we can. We have not stopped our efforts to help or save Mary Jane Veloso),” he said.
Veloso was convicted of drug trafficking after some 2.6 kilograms of heroin was found in her luggage in 2010 while she was on her way to Yogyakarta from Kuala Lumpur.
Her family maintained that she does not know about the illegal drug and that she is a victim of human trafficking.
The Philippine government has appealed Veloso’s case before the Indonesian court and a second appeal was submitted recently.
Coloma said Veloso’s case will be among the priorities of President Benigno Aquino III if he will be able to talk with Indonesian President Jokowi Widodo at the sidelines of the 26th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit to be held in Kuala Lumpur from April 26-27, 2015.