NUPL: Veloso deserves justice, not punishment

MANILA, Philippines — Convicted overseas Filipino worker (OFW) Mary Jane Veloso deserves justice and not punishment, the National Union of People’s Lawyers (NUPL) said yesterday.

While President Marcos has finally broken his silence about Veloso’s plight, the NUPL found it bizarre for the Chief Executive to say that the Philippine government is willing to impose punishment on the OFW.

“Asking for grace to permit her safe return to the Philippines should not be conditioned on any commitment to punish her in her home country,” NUPL president Ephraim Cortez said in a statement.

Marcos, who is in Indonesia for the 42nd Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit, said he would continue to appeal for clemency or commutation of the migrant worker’s sentence.

He said there is an impasse with the Indonesian government as it remains firm on imposing its laws on Veloso, who was convicted for bringing heroin into Indonesia.