Bali nine :Mary Jane Fiesta Veloso of the Philippines spared - 'Miracles do come true'

Jokpeme Joseph Omode April 29, 2015

 
Indonesian migrant workers hold candles during a vigil in support of Filipina drug convict and death row prisoner Mary Jane Veloso. Photo / Getty
Indonesia has confirmed the only woman who was to be executed alongside Bali Nine ringleaders Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran has been given a reprieve.
Attorney-General spokesman Tony Spontana confirmed Mary Jane Fiesta Veloso of the Philippines had not faced the executioner on Wednesday morning (AEST).
"There was a request from the Philippine president regarding the perpetrator who's suspected of committing human trafficking and surrendered in the Philippines," he said in a text message.
Indonesia executed 8 of the 9 people convicted for drug offenses. The men all pictured above were taken to a jungle clearing on the island Nusakambangan according to local media reports and were executed at midnight Indonesia time by 12 police privates (that would be about 6pm Nigerian time). The only woman amongst them, Mary Jane Fiesta Veloso, was spared last minute after new information emerged about her case. A woman who reportedly tricked her into carrying drugs turned herself in

Various groups conducted a protest, Ecumenical Prayer and simultaneous candle-lighting in front of the Indonesian Embassy in Makati City. Photo / Getty
Various groups conducted a protest, Ecumenical Prayer and simultaneous candle-lighting in front of the Indonesian Embassy in Makati City. Photo / Getty
"MJ is needed for her testimony."
Veloso's lawyer Edre Olalia also confirmed the stay of execution.
She was sentenced to death in October 2010 for attempting to smuggle 2.6 kilograms of heroin into Indonesia from Malaysia in April 2010.

Marites Laurente, the sister of Filipina drug convict Mary Jane Veloso, pleads for mercy on arrival at Nusakambangan port. Photo / Getty
Marites Laurente, the sister of Filipina drug convict Mary Jane Veloso, pleads for mercy on arrival at Nusakambangan port. Photo / Getty

Veloso, who comes from a poor rural family in the Philippines, was reportedly acting as a courier for an international syndicate when she was arrested on arrival at Yogyakarta, central Java from an Air Asia flight from Kuala Lumpur.
Veloso's mother told Philippine radio: "Miracles do come true".
"We are so happy, I can't believe it. I can't believe my child will live," Celia Veloso told radio station DZMM.
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Jokpeme Joseph Omode

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Jokpeme Joseph Omode stands as a prominent figure in contemporary journalism, embodying the spirit of a multifaceted storyteller who bridges history, poetry, and investigative reporting to champion social progress. As the Editor-in-Chief and CEO of Alexa News Network (Alexa.ng), Omode has transformed a digital platform into a vital voice for governance, education, youth empowerment, entrepreneurship, and sustainable development in Africa. His career, marked by over a decade of experience across media, public relations, brand strategy, and content creation, reflects a relentless commitment to using journalism as a tool for accountability and societal advancement.

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