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| Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and Mary Jane Veloso |
Jakarta. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has vowed to discuss the fate of drug convict Mary Jane Veloso, whose execution was put on hold last year, with President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo when he visits Jakarta on his first trip overseas since taking office in June.
"I pray I can do something for her," he said while addressing repatriated workers in Manila on Tuesday (30/08), local media reported.
Mary Jane was arrested in April 2010 on suspicion of smuggling over 2 kilograms of heroin into Indonesia.
She maintained her innocence throughout her trial and appeals, saying she had been tricked into transporting the drugs.
She was granted a temporary stay just hours before her planned execution in April 2015 after Philippine authorities brokered an agreement with Indonesia to allow her to assist in an on-going drug investigation.
Since coming to power, Duterte has been slammed for his controversial war on drugs which has seen thousands killed in vigilante attacks but enjoys high approval ratings among voters.
The visit to Jakarta will be part of a trip around the region following next week's US-Asean Summit in Laos.
Source: Jakarta Globe, Erin Cook, Sept. 1, 2016
Duterte to visit Indonesia, hopes to help drug mule
President Rodrigo Duterte is hopeful that he can do something for convicted Filipino drug courier Mary Jane Veloso.
“I pray I can do something for her,” Duterte told the 129 Filipino workers repatriated from Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.
The president is set to visit Indonesia on Sep.8 to 9 after attending the ASEAN Summit in Vientiane, Laos.
Indonesia is part of Duterte’s ASEAN trip, which also includes Brunei.
Veloso was arrested at the Yogyakarta airport in Indonesia in 2010 for carrying 2.6 kilograms of heroin.
She was supposed to be executed on April 25, 2015 but was temporarily spared after the woman who allegedly recruited her to act as drug courier surrendered to authorities.
Source: Jakarta Post, Sept. 1, 2016
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