Clemency for Veloso sought

MANILA, Philippines — Executive clemency for Mary Jane Veloso is being sought by the progressive Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives.

Veloso, an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) sentenced to death before an Indonesian court for drug trafficking, has suffered enough after being deprived of liberty for 14 years and missing out on seeing her children grow up, according to House Resolution 2128 filed yesterday.

“The grant of clemency to Mary Jane has been a long time coming considering that she is a victim of human trafficking and is not a drug mule,” Makabayan said.

On Dec. 6, the Philippine and Indonesian governments agreed to transfer Veloso to Manila, based on Jakarta’s transfer of prisoners policy.

On Nov. 21, President Marcos expressed his openness to grant Veloso clemency.

Principal proponents Representatives Arlene Brosas of Gabriela, France Castro of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers and Raoul Manuel of Kabataan filed the resolution.

Brosas has condemned the government’s labor export policy that she says endangers Filipino women.

Since 2015, more than half of OFWs have been women, Makabayan noted.

Veloso’s parents have asked President Marcos to grant her clemency.

“Dreaming of giving a better future for her children, she trusted a person who she thought had good intentions,” her mother Celia said in a handwritten letter.

The letter dated Dec. 10 were delivered by Veloso’s parents during a meeting with Department of Foreign Affairs officials.