Mary Jane Veloso’s mother: ‘Marami akong sisingilin sa ating presidente’

The mother of Mary Jane Veloso, the Filipina facing execution in Indonesia for drug smuggling, has accused President Benigno Aquino III of not doing enough to save her daughter's life.

“Ang masasabi ko lang, president, hintayin mo ang paniningil ko kapag may mangyari sa anak ko,” Celia Veloso said in an interview on GMA News TV's “Balitanghali” on Friday.

“Dahil hanggang ngayon, wala kang paramdam sa amin. Sasabihin ng mga tauhan mo na nagawa na ang lahat. Ngayong pahuli na, ngayon pa lang nila gagawin,” she added.

Mary Jane—arrested at the Yogyakarta International Airport in April 2010 for carrying 2.6 kilograms of heroin—was transferred to the prison island of Nusukambangan, where executions are held in Indonesia, on Friday morning.

On the same day, the Philippine government filed its second appeal for a judicial review of the case with hopes that Mary Jane will be spared from the firing squad.

In the “Balitanghali” interview, Celia, who is in Indonesia to visit Mary Jane, could not hide her anger at the President. “Marami po akong sisingilin sa ating presidente. Hanggang sa ngayon, eto, siguro president, masaya ka na ngayon dahil andito na sa isla yung anak ko,” she said.

Pro-migrant group Migrante International earlier claimed that the government did not provide Mary Jane proper legal assistance "until the last minute,” but the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) denied neglecting the Filipina.

Celia said the government should've provided assistance as early as 2010 when Mary Jane was arrested.

“Ngayon lang po sila umaksyon... Napakasakit po bilang ina, na nalaman ko na nilipat na yung anak ko. Sa totoo lang, 'di ko alam kung anong pakiramdam ko,” she said.

She described Mary Jane as the stronger one between the two of them.

“Malakas po ang loob ng anak ko. Ako nga po ang mahina, ako pa nga po ang pinagsasabihan niya. Hindi ko alam kung kaya ko o hindi, pero yung anak ko ho, malakas yung loob niya,” she said.

Mary Jane parents, as well as her two children and sister, are already in Indonesia to meet her.

The Attorney General's Office ordered the execution of 10 convicts with drug-related charges in an indeterminate time after the conclusion of the 60th Asian-African Conference Commemoration in Indonesia on April 24. —Rie Takumi/KBK, GMA News