Jakarta Globe, September 12, 2016
Jakarta.
Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Perfecto Yasay Jr. has denied reports
that President Rodrigo Roa Duterte had given the green light for the Indonesian
government to proceed with the execution of Philippine drug convict Mary Jane
Veloso.
"Yasay
clarified further that never did Duterte give the green light to the execution
of Veloso other than to tell the Indonesian president that he respects their
judicial processes and will accept whatever the final decision they will arrive
at regarding her case," the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs said
in a statement on Monday (12/09), as reported by the Philippine Star news
outlet.
The
statement was a response to President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's comment
earlier on the same day that President Duterte apparently gave his permission
for Indonesian authorities to execute Veloso, who was set to face the firing
squad in April last year before a last-minute reprieve.
Jokowi said
he explained to Duterte the case involving 31-year-old Veloso, who was caught
with 2.6 kilograms of heroin at Adisucipto International Airport in Yogyakarta
and that Attorney General H.M. Prasetyo will soon take further steps towards
her execution.
Veloso's
execution was put on hold last year because her testimony against alleged human
trafficker Maria Christina Sergio was needed by the Philippine authorities.
During her
trial, Veloso claimed that Sergio duped her into taking a suitcase to Indonesia
after she lost her job in Malaysia. The suitcase was later found to have had
drugs sewn into the lining.
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US
President Barack Obama (left) and Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte
(AFP Photo/Saul Loeb, Manman Dejeto)
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