Plea, prayers for life of Filipina on Indonesia’s death row

Indonesian Catholics launched a national prayer campaign on Saturday for the release of a Filipino ‎woman who is on Indonesia’s death row for drug trafficking.  30 year-old Mary Jane Fiesta Veloso, a single ‎mother of two young children, was convicted and sentenced to be executed by firing squad after she ‎was caught with 2.6 kilograms of heroin in her luggage at an Indonesian airport in 2010.  Her lawyers ‎said she is an innocent victim of an international drug trafficking group.  Indonesia's highest court last month rejected a judicial review petition by Veloso, who is among 10 foreigner drug smugglers facing death by a firing squad.  

The prayer campaign was ‎launched on the eve of Divine Mercy Sunday by the vicar general of Semarang Archdiocese, Fr. ‎Sukendar ‎Wignyosumarto.  Earlier on March 31, Archbishop Johannes Pujasumarta launched a ‎prayer ‎chain for Veloso.  ‎
Meanwhile, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has officially joined the rest ‎of the nation in pleading for the life of Veloso.  "We storm heavens with prayers that she be saved from ‎this tragic fate. We join the appeal to the Indonesian authorities to spare her the death penalty," said ‎Balanga Bishop Ruperto Santos, chairman of the CBCP Episcopal Commission for the Pastoral Care of ‎Migrants and Itinerant People, in a statement on Friday.    The bishop pointed out, "Every life is ‎precious as it comes from God." Like Pope Francis, the CBCP has consistently rejected the death ‎penalty.‎

Meanwhile, the girl's family had received threats and is being stalked by unknown persons and fear for their lives.  Family members have launched an appeal to the leaders of the Filipino bishops' conference, asking for help after some "unknown persons" visited the village and asked about Mary Jane’s relatives. The "repeated" visits to the village of "suspects" began when the girl's story began circulating in the international media. "We are scared. We cannot even sleep. And I fear for the lives of my grandchildren, "said Celia Veloso, Mary Jane’s mother.

There are about 10 million overseas Filipino workers, most of whom see migration as the only chance to escape poverty. In the past the government in Manila has warned citizens of the danger of being involved, even unconsciously, in the international drug trade. Worldwide there are at least 125 Filipinos on death row, many of them convicted because of crimes linked to drug trafficking. Last week the Indonesian Supreme Court rejected the request to reopen the case involving the young Mary Jane; Manila announced that it will forward a second appeal to the authorities in Jakarta.  (AsiaNews)