Superstar boxer and politician Manny Pacquiao flew to Indonesia last night in order to meet with Mary Jane Veloso, the Filipina women who remain on Indonesia’s death row for drug smuggling charges after having her execution delayed at the last moment on April 28.
Migrante International, an NGO that advocates for the rights of Filipino migrant workers, confirmed Pacquiao’s visit in a statement on their website.
“We thank and salute Rep. Manny Pacquiao and his wife Jinkee for their visit to human trafficking victim Mary Jane Veloso in Indonesia. This means so much to the Veloso family, especially to her sons,” Migrante International said in the statement.
Pacquiao also posted this photo of himself and his wife on Instagram last night confirming that he was coming to Indonesia.
Back in April, Pacquiao made a personal plea to President Joko Widodo to spare the life of Veloso, a mother of two who is widely suspected of being the victim of human traffickers who tricked her into smuggling drugs into Indonesia under the pretense of getting her work as a domestic helper. He also promised to visit Veloso after his much hyped title fight with Floyd Mayweather back in May.
Veloso’s was given a stay of execution mere moments before she was set to be killed by firing squad after Kristina “Tintin” Sergio, the woman suspected of recruiting her and tricking her into carrying drugs to Indonesia, turned herself in to authorities in the Philippines.
Sergio’s case has still not been resolved by the Filipino judicial system, but if she is indeed found guilty of human trafficking it may be cause for Indonesian authorities to lift the death sentence on Veloso. But until then, Mary Jane’s life hangs in the balance.
