Mary Jane Veloso’s execution was stopped by Indonesian president Joko Widodo, what have prompted him to change the decision may have been influenced by a meeting with a labor group in Indonesia.
Anis Hidayah, executive director of Migrant Care Indonesia, told ANC that she was able to meet Widodo and appealed about Velsoso’s case Tuesday afternoon.
The president, she said, unexpectedly asked about the convicted Filipina worker’s case.
“We are also talking about the issue of Mary Jane. We talked to him that actually Mary Jane is the victim of human trafficking that also happened with many Indonesia migrant workers abroad also facing death penalty,” she detailed.
Hidayah made sure that Widodo was informed about the cases of the migrant workers who are involved in drug smuggling particularly those from the Philippines and Indonesia.
The executive director also explained to the president that Veloso was a victim of drug traffickers and that her recruiter Maria Kristina Sergio is already in the care of authorities.
“His first response was he was worried many people would testify that they are victims… But we made the illustration about the cases of Indonesian migrant workers in China, Malaysia and other countries, same with the case of Mary Jane,” she said.
Hidayah said she was crying when she talked to Widodo about Veloso’s case.
“I was crying when I illustrated the case of migrant workers, the case of Mary Jane, I said to him, ‘if we kill the victims and tomorrow or next time we will find a new evidence, how can we be responsible for this, after the execution,” she said.
The unexpected news about the spared Veloso broke out earlier today.
Indonesia’s Attorney General’s Office said it has delayed the execution of Veloso as a response to the request of the Philippines as informed that the recruiter has already surrendered to the police.
President Aquino, however, also made a last minute call to Indonesia.
H/T: ABS-CBN News
