BANGKOK: Filipina maid Mary Jane Veloso could still face execution despite her 11th hour reprieve from facing a firing squad alongside the Bali Nine organisers and six other convicted drug offenders.
Amid an outpouring of euphoria in the Philippines over the sparing of her life in the early hours of Wednesday, Veloso has been returned to death row in the Wirogunan woman's jail in the Indonesian city of Yogyakarta.
Indonesian officials insist Veloso, a 30-year-old mother of two from an impoverished family, has been given a "temporary" reprieve from execution because she was needed to testify as a witness in the case of another Filipina woman accused of duping her into carrying 2.6 of heroin in a suitcase to Indonesia in 2010.
"The execution of Mary Jane has been postponed due to the request of the Philippines president (Benigno Aquino) in relation to an alleged human trafficker who recently gave herself up in the Philippines," said Tony Spontana, a spokesman for Indonesia's Attorney General.
Indonesia's president Joko Widodo told reporters he ordered the reprieve "because the legal process is still ongoing in the Philippines, we must ensure Mary Jane Veloso receives justice".
Maria Kristina Sergio, 47, surrendered to police in Manila only hours before Veloso's planned execution after being charged with human trafficking and other offences.
In a letter from jail, Veloso wrote that Sergio promised to help her find a maid's job in Malaysia and organised for her to travel to Indonesia for a holiday with a suitcase provided by her supposed boyfriend.
As Veloso remains in the prison where she has spent most of the past five years, an investigation is underway in the Philippines into Sergio's role in the attempted drug importation.
"The Department of Justice will begin the investigation on the alleged illegal recruiter and the case build-up will provide information which will be supplied to the Indonesian authorities to aid them in their investigation," said Philippine Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma.
Mr Coloma said no agreement on timelines was discussed when Mr Aquino pressed Mr Widodo to spare Veloso's life at a summit of south-east Asian leaders in Malaysia on Monday.
"All President Aquino requested was another opportunity to be given to Mary Jane to be able to shed light on the activities of the trafficking syndicate that victimised her," he said.
Philippine officials expect Indonesia to await the outcome of Sergio's case in the Philippines before reviewing Veloso's case , Philippine media reported.
Sergio is being held in protective custody at a military base in Manila after saying she had received death threats.
Police say she has denied Veloso's story, claiming she did not know what was being carried in the suitcase.
But the Philippine Bureau of Investigation has accused Sergio and two men in Kuala Lumpur of duping Veloso, saying she was "a victim of deception and manipulation by her illegal recruiters".
Malaysian police say international traffickers are preying on unsuspecting woman to transit drugs through the airport of the Malaysian capital that are destined for other countries.
Indonesian officials say a check has shown Veloso to be in good health after her ordeal on the prison island of Nusakambangan where she waited for days while expecting to be executed alongside Australians Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan.
In the Philippines, Veloso has become a heroic figure for 10 million Filipinos who work overseas to escape poverty and scant job opportunities at home.
Born to trash-collecting parents she dropped out of high school, married in her teens and went to work as a maid in Dubai in 2009 where she says she was raped before returning home.
She had no prior criminal conviction when she was arrested with the drugs in Indonesia.
The Philippines has thanked Indonesia for granting Veloso the reprieve.
"We would like to acknowledge their sense of fairness in assessing new information we provided and their understanding that Mary Jane Veloso is a person who went to their country in search of a better life, better opportunity, but was taken advantage of by criminal syndicates," Mr Coloma said.
Amid an outpouring of euphoria in the Philippines over the sparing of her life in the early hours of Wednesday, Veloso has been returned to death row in the Wirogunan woman's jail in the Indonesian city of Yogyakarta.
Indonesian officials insist Veloso, a 30-year-old mother of two from an impoverished family, has been given a "temporary" reprieve from execution because she was needed to testify as a witness in the case of another Filipina woman accused of duping her into carrying 2.6 of heroin in a suitcase to Indonesia in 2010.
"The execution of Mary Jane has been postponed due to the request of the Philippines president (Benigno Aquino) in relation to an alleged human trafficker who recently gave herself up in the Philippines," said Tony Spontana, a spokesman for Indonesia's Attorney General.
Indonesia's president Joko Widodo told reporters he ordered the reprieve "because the legal process is still ongoing in the Philippines, we must ensure Mary Jane Veloso receives justice".
Maria Kristina Sergio, 47, surrendered to police in Manila only hours before Veloso's planned execution after being charged with human trafficking and other offences.
In a letter from jail, Veloso wrote that Sergio promised to help her find a maid's job in Malaysia and organised for her to travel to Indonesia for a holiday with a suitcase provided by her supposed boyfriend.
As Veloso remains in the prison where she has spent most of the past five years, an investigation is underway in the Philippines into Sergio's role in the attempted drug importation.
"The Department of Justice will begin the investigation on the alleged illegal recruiter and the case build-up will provide information which will be supplied to the Indonesian authorities to aid them in their investigation," said Philippine Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma.
Mr Coloma said no agreement on timelines was discussed when Mr Aquino pressed Mr Widodo to spare Veloso's life at a summit of south-east Asian leaders in Malaysia on Monday.
"All President Aquino requested was another opportunity to be given to Mary Jane to be able to shed light on the activities of the trafficking syndicate that victimised her," he said.
Philippine officials expect Indonesia to await the outcome of Sergio's case in the Philippines before reviewing Veloso's case , Philippine media reported.
Sergio is being held in protective custody at a military base in Manila after saying she had received death threats.
Police say she has denied Veloso's story, claiming she did not know what was being carried in the suitcase.
But the Philippine Bureau of Investigation has accused Sergio and two men in Kuala Lumpur of duping Veloso, saying she was "a victim of deception and manipulation by her illegal recruiters".
Malaysian police say international traffickers are preying on unsuspecting woman to transit drugs through the airport of the Malaysian capital that are destined for other countries.
Indonesian officials say a check has shown Veloso to be in good health after her ordeal on the prison island of Nusakambangan where she waited for days while expecting to be executed alongside Australians Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan.
In the Philippines, Veloso has become a heroic figure for 10 million Filipinos who work overseas to escape poverty and scant job opportunities at home.
Born to trash-collecting parents she dropped out of high school, married in her teens and went to work as a maid in Dubai in 2009 where she says she was raped before returning home.
She had no prior criminal conviction when she was arrested with the drugs in Indonesia.
The Philippines has thanked Indonesia for granting Veloso the reprieve.
"We would like to acknowledge their sense of fairness in assessing new information we provided and their understanding that Mary Jane Veloso is a person who went to their country in search of a better life, better opportunity, but was taken advantage of by criminal syndicates," Mr Coloma said.
Yet another tacky Headline - you really are struggling at the moment Mr Ed.
Posted by Mister Ree on April 30, 2015 09:40
Editor Comment:
As always, your opinion is anonymous, of no value and based on unwarranted resentments, Mister Ree. Don't like what you read? Stick with TV.