00:00Half a year has passed since the Indonesian government transferred custody of Mary Jane Veloso to the Philippine justice system.
00:07Though back in the homeland, she's still behind bars pending resolution of her narcotics case against her recruiters, whom she blames set her up with a suitcase of heroin.
00:17Our Harley Valbuena has more on detained Mary Jane Veloso still in good spirits, while her parents are an emotional wreck.
00:25Let me see for Mary Jane.
00:28Free her now!
00:30Clemency for Mary Jane!
00:31Free her now!
00:34This is the cry of the family of Mary Jane Veloso together with different groups because of her continued imprisonment despite being turned over by the Indonesian government.
00:45Earlier today, the family of Mary Jane filed a petition before Malacanang to formally request President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to grant executive clemency to Veloso.
00:56Her parents, becoming emotional, shared that they cannot wait for Mary Jane to finally be with them since six months had passed since her custody was transferred to the Philippines.
01:09Mary Jane, they added, is also becoming ill inside the Correctional Institution for Women.
01:14Ako po ay nananawagan po sa ating mahal na pangulo na sana po. Bigyan na po ninyo ng klinice ang ating anak kasi may sakit na po siya. May lagnat daw po siya. May isipon. Pasakit po ang kanyang lalamunan.
01:30Ano pa po ang dapat na pagdusa ng aking anak dito? Nagdusa na po siya sa Indonesia ng labing limang taon. Ngayon ang ka-anim na buwan na po dito.
01:42But despite the challenges, her parents said that Mary Jane's morale remains high and her faith in God is still firm.
01:51National Union of People's Lawyers, who provides legal services to Veloso, explained that it will be more convenient for her to testify in court against her recruiters if she will be finally freed.
02:03Only Mary Jane knows what happened from the time that she was recruited up until the time she was arrested in Indonesia for a crime she did not commit.
02:15Mahalaga ito para siya ay makakuha ng mustisya, accountability laban sa kanyang mga recruiters and traffickers.
02:21Migrante International, meanwhile, calls on President Marcos to grant the clemency to Veloso before his fourth state of the nation address this month.
02:30Isa po ito sa pinakamahalagang desisyon na kanyang gagawin sa kanyang administrasyon. Kaya po para sa amin, inaasahan namin na bago po niya i-beliver ang kanyang susunod na state of the nation address na mapapalaya na si Mary Jane at makakabalik na po siya sa piling ng kanyang pamilya sa kanyang komunidad.
02:56In line with this, the palace assured that the petition will reach President Marcos. It added that Veloso family can expect a positive response if the clemency will bear no legal implications.
03:11Makakarating po ito sa Pangulo at kung wala naman tayo malalabag na batas at ito'y kakabuti ng ating kababayan, makakakuha naman tayo po malamang ng positibong reaksyon dito.
03:20Harley Valbena from the National TV Network for a new and better Philippines.
