(UPDATE) Mary Jane Veloso Gets Reprieve – DFA

Manila (PNA) — The Indonesian government has granted reprieve to Filipino drug convict Mary Jane Veloso, who was among the nine prisoners earlier scheduled for execution after midnight on Wednesday.

“We are relieved that the execution of Mary Jane Veloso was not carried out tonight. The Lord has answered our prayers,” Foreign Affairs spokesman Charles Jose announced in a press conference minutes after Indonesia carried out the execution. The eight prisoners include two Australians, one Brazilian, four Africans and one Indonesian.

Jose declined to provide comments when pressed for further details.

Veloso’s life was spared following last minute phone conversation between President Benigno S. Aquino III and Indonesian leader Jokowi Widodo, reports said.

Indonesia, which earlier rejected President Aquino’s repeated appeals for clemency and Manila’s motion to review the Filipino’s case, decided to postpone the death sentence after Veloso’s recruiter voluntarily surrendered to Philippine authorities on the day of her execution, reports added.

Charges of illegal recruitment, human trafficking and estafa were filed against Maria Kristina Sergio, who was said to be the one who tricked Veloso into bringing the suitcase laden with 2.6 kilograms of heroin to Indonesia on April 2010.

Veloso maintained her innocence, saying she was not aware that there were drugs stashed inside the suitcase. (PNA) LAM/MDC/LGI