Death row Filipino not on Indonesia’s next batch of prisoners to face firing squad, migrant group says
A Philippine alliance of migrant workers have expressed confidence that Mary Jane Veloso, a Filipino woman on Indonesia’s death row, will not be among the 16 convicts set to be executed after the Islamic month of Ramadan, reports the independent news source UCAnews.com.
“[Indonesian authorities] said no official list has been made public but they are positive that Mary Jane is not included on the list,” Sarah Katrina Maramag, spokeswoman of Migrante International told UCAnews.com.
The Indonesian government had announced plans to execute 16 death row inmates, mostly drug offenders, next month. The date of the executions will be decided after the Eid’l Fitr celebration on July 7.
There are 152 people on Indonesia’s death row, including Veloso whose execution in 2015 was suspended.
Indonesian authorities gave assurances in April that there will be no further action in Veloso’s case in deference to an ongoing trial in the Philippines against her alleged recruiter.
Bishop Ruperto Santos of Balanga, chairman of the bishops’ commission on migrants and itinerant people, also expressed confidence that Indonesia will put Veloso’s case on hold until proceedings against her alleged recruiters in the Philippines are resolved.
“It is in this light that we continue to appeal to the Philippine government, including the incoming administration of Rodrigo Duterte to ensure that justice be given to Mary Jane,” said Santos.