DFA asks for executive clemency for Veloso

SINGAPORE - Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo has asked Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi for Indonesia to grant executive clemency to Mary Jane Veloso, Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles announced on Tuesday.

Cruz-Angeles said Manalo asked for the clemency when he met Marsudi on September 4 on the sidelines of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s state visit in Indonesia.

Marsudi said the request would be relayed to Indonesia's ministry of justice.

Veloso's parents Cesar and Celia have asked Marcos to ask for clemency from Indonesian President Joko Widodo for their daughter who was convicted of drug trafficking and meted the death penalty in 2010.

She was convicted of drug trafficking after she was caught with 2.6 kilos of heroin in Yogyakarta in 2010.

Cruz-Angeles said the Philippine embassy in Indonesia continued to provide consular services to Veloso. She added that the Filipina was at present in good condition.

"Samantala naman tuloy-tuloy ang pagbigay ng consular services ng ating embahada kay Ms. Veloso. At ayon sa kanila ay nasa mabuting kalagayan siya sa Wonosari Women's Penitentiary in Yogyakarta," Cruz-Angeles said.

"Ikinuha din siya ng abogado ng ayon sa batas ng Indonesia ng tuluyang maprotektahan si Ms. Veloso," she added. —NB, GMA News