WORLD BOXING superstar Manny Pacquiao took time out from preparing for Sunday's megafight fight with Floyd Mayweather to join a massive outpouring of support in the Philippines for a Filipina mother of two whose execution appears imminent alongside Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan.
Philippine President Benigno Aquino also made a last-ditch appeal to his Indonesian counterpart for clemency for Mary Jane Veloso, 30, who has never wavered in her claim she was duped into bringing drugs into Indonesia.
Mary Jane Fiesta Veloso arrives in court in March for a hearing of a judicial review after a plea for clemency was rejected by Indonesian President Joko Widodo.
On Monday during a summit of South-east Asian leaders in Kuala Lumpur, Indonesian President Joko Widodo raised faint hope he would grant Veloso clemency, saying he was sympathetic and would consult with Indonesia's attorney-general on legal issues in her case.
But hours later attorney-general spokesman Tony Spontana told journalists the executions of all nine on death row would proceed this week, including Veloso, the sole woman among the group who was convicted of smuggling 2.6 kilograms of heroin into Indonesia in 2010.
She insists she went to Indonesia for a job as a maid and was duped by an international drug syndicate.
In majority Catholic Philippines, where capital punishment was suspended years ago, hundreds of thousands of Filipinos have taken to Twitter and other social media to express support for Veloso, who comes from an impoverished family and has two sons aged six and 12.
"I am begging and knocking on your kind heart that your excellency will grant executive clemency to her," Pacquiao, a national hero in the Philippines, said in a televised appeal to Mr Widodo.
Labor and women rights activists have picketed outside the Indonesian embassy in Manila.
Pleadings to save Veloso's life have come from Catholic bishops and Philippine celebrities and politicians, sending Mr Widodo a clear message the execution will prompt outrage from the Philippines.
Philippine authorities have sought a second judicial review of Veloso's case, citing evidence she was a human trafficking victim, not a drug smuggler.
Last week they charged a woman who allegedly recruited Veloso to travel to Indonesia with offences including illegal recruitment and human trafficking.
At Veloso's trial in 2011 her young Indonesian lawyer spoke little Indonesian and as Veloso does not speak the language, she had scant knowledge of the case against her, lawyers say.
In a letter written from jail Veloso urged Filipinos not to get involved with drugs or other illegal activities and advised those seeking work overseas to use a registered employment agency.
"As a mother, I have two children who are still small and need the love of a mother very much whom they love in return," Veloso pleaded with Mr Widodo in another letter.
Philippine President Benigno Aquino also made a last-ditch appeal to his Indonesian counterpart for clemency for Mary Jane Veloso, 30, who has never wavered in her claim she was duped into bringing drugs into Indonesia.
Mary Jane Fiesta Veloso arrives in court in March for a hearing of a judicial review after a plea for clemency was rejected by Indonesian President Joko Widodo.
On Monday during a summit of South-east Asian leaders in Kuala Lumpur, Indonesian President Joko Widodo raised faint hope he would grant Veloso clemency, saying he was sympathetic and would consult with Indonesia's attorney-general on legal issues in her case.
But hours later attorney-general spokesman Tony Spontana told journalists the executions of all nine on death row would proceed this week, including Veloso, the sole woman among the group who was convicted of smuggling 2.6 kilograms of heroin into Indonesia in 2010.
She insists she went to Indonesia for a job as a maid and was duped by an international drug syndicate.
In majority Catholic Philippines, where capital punishment was suspended years ago, hundreds of thousands of Filipinos have taken to Twitter and other social media to express support for Veloso, who comes from an impoverished family and has two sons aged six and 12.
"I am begging and knocking on your kind heart that your excellency will grant executive clemency to her," Pacquiao, a national hero in the Philippines, said in a televised appeal to Mr Widodo.
Labor and women rights activists have picketed outside the Indonesian embassy in Manila.
Pleadings to save Veloso's life have come from Catholic bishops and Philippine celebrities and politicians, sending Mr Widodo a clear message the execution will prompt outrage from the Philippines.
Philippine authorities have sought a second judicial review of Veloso's case, citing evidence she was a human trafficking victim, not a drug smuggler.
Last week they charged a woman who allegedly recruited Veloso to travel to Indonesia with offences including illegal recruitment and human trafficking.
At Veloso's trial in 2011 her young Indonesian lawyer spoke little Indonesian and as Veloso does not speak the language, she had scant knowledge of the case against her, lawyers say.
In a letter written from jail Veloso urged Filipinos not to get involved with drugs or other illegal activities and advised those seeking work overseas to use a registered employment agency.
"As a mother, I have two children who are still small and need the love of a mother very much whom they love in return," Veloso pleaded with Mr Widodo in another letter.
No one has the right to decide who lives or dies. President Widodo will have blood on his hands should these people be executed. A boycott of Indonesia should begin - cripple this country. There lack of humanity is very scary.
Posted by John M on April 28, 2015 13:03