Marcos hopeful of clemency for Veloso

President Marcos remains hopeful that Mary Jane Veloso, the Filipina on death row for the past 14 years, will be granted clemency by the Indonesian government, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.

- HELEN FLORES & ALEXIS ROMERO

During Indonesian President Joko Widodo’s official visit here, it was learned that the legal interrogatories required from the Nueva Ecija Regional Trial Court on the case of Veloso have been sent to Jakarta for her to answer as part of her testimony on the case she filed against her illegal recruiters.

“President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. expressed hope that the progression of the case of Ms. Veloso will merit her clemency at the appropriate time,” DFA Undersecretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro said in a statement released by the Presidential Communications Office yesterday.

Marcos and Widodo meanwhile affirmed the need to uphold international law and to maintain stability in the region during their bilateral meeting yesterday. The two leaders tackled the longstanding maritime dispute in the South China Sea and possible procurement of Indonesia-made anti-submarine aircraft for the Philippine Navy.

Widodo met with Marcos in Malacañang as part of his three-day official visit to the Philippines, which came as Manila and Jakarta are preparing to celebrate the 75th anniversary of their diplomatic ties this year.