Mary Jane Veloso’s family seeks clemency in her PH return

The parents of convicted Overseas Filipino Worker Mary Jane Veloso are hoping President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. would grant their Christmas wish: clemency for their daughter.

“Sana po pagdating ng 24 ay bigyan na ng clemency kaagad ng ating Pangulo para makauwi na po,” said Cesar Veloso, Mary Jane’s father, in Joseph Morong’s report in 24 Oras on Monday.

(I hope that by the 24th our President could grant clemency to her.)

Mary Jane, 39, was sentenced to death for drug trafficking after she was caught with 2.6 kilos of heroin in Indonesia in 2010.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said in November that Manila and Jakarta reached an agreement to transfer the Filipino convict to her homeland, thanking new Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and his government for their goodwill.

But Malacanang said that it has yet to comment on Mary Jane’s status upon her return to the country.

“Nothing to say yet on what may happen. The priority of PBBM is to have Veloso repatriated without delay,” said Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin.

Mary Jane will be on a commercial flight from Jakarta that is expected to land in Manila at 6 a.m. on Wednesday. She will be taken directly to the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong City for a five-day quarantine.

Her family is excited to finally meet her again after over a decade of detention in Indonesia.

“Hindi na nga ako nakakatulog, hindi na ako makakain,” said Celia Veloso, Mary Jane’s mother.

(I can’t sleep and eat while waiting for her.)

Her siblings from Nueva Ecija are also expected to travel to Manila to welcome her.

Meanwhile, the kin’s legal counsel appealed to the Department of Justice to allow the family to get in touch with her even for a short period of time.

“Lalo na sa sitwasyon ni Mary Jane, halos 15 taon na hindi nakita rito sa Pilipinas. Kung makita man nila sa piitan, sandali lamang ‘yan at minsanan lang doon sa 15 na taon na ‘yun. Mahalaga ‘yan,” said lawyer Edre Olalia.

(In Mary Jane’s situation, she hasn’t been to the Philippines for almost 15 years. If they will see her in prison, that would be very short and not enough to compensate for the almost 15 years that she was not around. That would be very important for her.)

But the BuCor said Mary Jane could only spend time with her family after the five-day quarantine.
—Vince Angelo Ferreras/RF, GMA Integrated News