MANILA – After Filipina drug trafficking convict Mary Jane Veloso was reprieved from her scheduled execution on Wednesday, TV host-actress and presidential sister Kris Aquino expressed on social media how ‘proud’ she was of her brother, President Benigno Aquino III.
“I kept quiet & just prayed. Left & right paulit ulit na walang ginawa, walang effort, walang malasakit, patalsikin, walang nagawa si Noynoy (Left and right, accusations of no deed, no effort, no sympathy, oust, Noynoy did nothing) Our whole family prayed, of course for Mary Jane and her family, but I prayed deeply for the Holy Spirit to guide my brother & his government to find a way to spare the life of a fellow Filipino,” Kris said in her Instagram post.
“To find a reason compelling enough for the Indonesian govt to give Mary Jane Veloso a reprieve, and it came because of testimony regarding the greater problem of HUMAN TRAFFICKING. I prayed for God to bless our relations w/ Indonesia… Australia, Brazil, Nigeria, and even an Indonesian died by firing squad. From the New York Times I quote: ‘Saying Indonesia had a right to exercise its drug laws, Mr Joko’s govt. rejected international pleas to cancel the executions, including from Ban Ki Moon, Secretary General of the United Nation,’” her post continued.
Hours before Veloso’s execution, President Noynoy appealed for the life of Veloso to Indonesian President Joko Widodo after the 26th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit. He also talked to Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi asserting that Veloso’s life should be spared as she could be a state witness to the drug syndicate in Indonesia, especially now that her alleged recruiters have already surrendered.
Kris ended her post by saying: “I firmly believe that we must respect the laws of each country, and as Filipinos we will take offense when other countries will dictate upon us… But we are a God fearing, faithful nation. And He heard our collective prayer.”
“I kept quiet w/ the endless attacks against PNoy because that was his reminder to me, but today it is my right & my privilege to say, I AM PROUD of my brother. I AM PROUD OF MY PRESIDENT.”
The television host-actress had always been vocal of her support towards her brother. However, she admitted that Noynoy had asked her to remain mum on sensitive issues in his political affairs.