Agonising final farewells Clemency pleas as drug trafficker marries, sons visit mom for last time
LED by the hand through a scrum of reporters to an Indonesian prison island, a little Filipino boy looked confused and frightened as he made a final visits to his mother before her execution.
On the visit to Nusakambangan Island, Filipino maid Mary Jane Veloso gently told six-year-old Mark Darren and his brother, Mark Danielle, 12, that she would not be coming home.
“She tried to explain again,” Veloso’s elder sister, Marites Veloso-Laurente, said in Cilacap, the port town that is the gateway to the island.
“If Mumma does not come home, just think Mumma is in heaven,” she had told them.
Veloso-Laurente knows Mark will always keep a watchful eye over his younger sibling, recounting a pledge he had made to his mother in recent days.
“He promised his mother that he will take care of his younger brother and they will study hard,” she said.
As the clock ticks down on the execution by firing squad of eight foreign drug convicts, heartbroken relatives, who have fought for years to save their loved ones, are rushing to say final farewells.
The convicts, including nationals from Australia, Brazil and Nigeria, all recently lost their clemency appeals to President Joko Widodo.
They could be put to death as soon as today, after receiving notification of their executions at the weekend.
Veloso’s two sons travelled with their family – some of whom had never flown – from an impoverished community north of Manila to hear a message almost impossible for them to take in.
Veloso, 30, was convicted of trafficking heroin into Indonesia in 2009, but says her only crime was to fall victim to international drug gangs who are now threatening to kill her family if they speak out.
Her case has drawn attention in the Philippines, with supporters calling for clemency at regular rallies in Manila.
Even world boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao yesterday pleaded for her life to spared, taking time out from preparations for his huge fight against Floyd Mayweather on Sunday.
Yesterday, an Australian drug trafficker – also set to be executed – married his girlfriend on the prison island.
His brother urged Widodo to show compassion to the newlyweds.
Andrew Chan, 31, married his Indonesian girlfriend Febyanti Herewila, his brother, Michael, said.
Chan could also be put to death by firing squad as soon as today, along with the seven other foreigners.
“We had a special day today,” Michael Chan said as he announced the marriage after returning from a visit to Nusakambangan. “We’ve celebrated with some family and close friends.
“Hopefully the president will show some compassion, some mercy, so the two young newlyweds can carry on with their lives,” Michael said.
“It is now all in the president’s hands.”
Chan met his future wife several years ago when Herewila, a pastor, began helping inmates in the jail where the Australian was imprisoned.
Chan and fellow Australian Myuran Sukumaran, both among the group facing imminent execution, are ringleaders of the so-called “Bali Nine” heroin-smuggling gang.
They were both sentenced to death in 2006.
Numerous members of their families and embassy officials have been rushing to visit them since notice of execution was given.
Yesterday, lawyer Todung Mulya Lubis returned from the prison carrying a self-portrait by Sukumaran, an accomplished artist, entitled “The second last day”.
Meanwhile, Veloso’s family are also clinging to hope her execution will be delayed, so they can pursue an application for a second judicial review of her case.
But with formal notice now served, such efforts are looking increasingly futile.
While the execution of drug traffickers has broad support in Indonesia, there has been sympathy for Veloso, as many Indonesian domestic workers have also been executed while working abroad.
As her family wept and prepared to cross to Nusakambangan yesterday for what could be the last time, supporters turned out waving “Save Mary Jane” banners.
But the show of support could do little for Veloso’s broken mother, Celia. –AFP