The parents of overseas Filipino worker Mary Jane Veloso, who has been on death row for 12 years in Indonesia over drug-related charges, appealed to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for help.
In a letter sent to the president, Cesar Veloso and his wife Celia said they will be “thankful if our daughter, Mary Jane, is brought home in the soonest time.”
The parents insisted that their daughter is “innocent” of the crimes she was convicted of, adding that “her only intention was to go abroad to give her children a decent life.”
“I hope when you come home, our dear President, my daughter will be with you,” said the father.
Marcos was set to visit Indonesia starting Sunday, September 4, until September 6 for a state visit.
The Veloso couple said they were thankful that the Indonesian government suspended Mary Jane’s execution in 2015 following a last-minute appeal from the Philippine government.
But they said they will be “more thankful” if their daughter comes home with Marcos.
The women’s group Kilusan ng Manggagawang Kababaihan also called on the president “to heed the cries” of the Veloso family.
“As the country’s president, Marcos has the official capacity to negotiate with foreign state officials on matters relating to the situations of overseas Filipino workers,” said the group.
“Thus, we expect him to fulfill his campaign promise to protect the interests of our modern-day heroes by ensuring a just and humane working environment for them,” the group said in a statement.
Veloso was convicted of drug trafficking in Jakarta in 2010 but she claimed that she was a victim of human trafficking.
Indonesia granted Veloso a stay of execution in April 2015 to allow her to testify against her alleged recruiters who face charges in the Philippines.
