(CNN Philippines) — With the clock fast ticking, the Philippines will make a last-ditch effort to spare the life of convicted drug mule Mary Jane Veloso this week — Vice President Jejomar Binay is set to personally appeal against the Filipina’s death sentence to no less than President Joko Widodo.
Binay, who flew to Indonesia on Wednesday (April 22) for the Asian-African Conference 2015, vowed to appeal against Veloso’s execution to Widodo with the hopes of the latter eventually pardoning the Filipina.
According to the Vice President, they will be traveling on Thursday (April 24) to Bandung, where the celebration of the Bandung Conference’s 60th year will be held.
“Personally, my appeal is that she (Veloso) won’t be executed,” said Binay, who reiterated that while the Philippines respects Indonesia’s legal system, the country would want Veloso’s life to be spared.
Binay explained that he has several chances of meeting with President Widodo during his stay in Indonesia, but stressed that he would still rather seek an official or executive appeal regarding the death row case, than one that would be mentioned in passing.
He added that he has three opportunities to speak with Widodo.
“Later tonight, we have a dinner. Tomorrow, he’s going to give a talk at the conference. And perhaps the third time is when we head to Bandung,” Binay said.
The Vice President also mentioned the possibility of visiting Veloso, who is currently detained in Yogyakarta.
“Tinitingnan ko pa kasi nando’n s’ya sa isang isla [Yogyakarta],” Binay said.
Veloso, a domestic worker and mother of two, was arrested in 2010 at the Yogyakarta Airport after she was discovered to have 2.6 kilograms of heroin stashed in her luggage. Veloso said that she was tricked into bringing the prohibited substance to Indonesia.
According to Migrante International, Mary Jane would be the eighth Filipino to be executed under Pres. Benigno Aquino’s administration should her death sentence be carried out.
The organization also stated that there are 123 overseas Filipino workers on death row as of December 2014.
In one of their reports, Migrante International also explained that Veloso “was not provided proper legal assistance” when she was apprehended at the Yogyakarta Airport.
Binay, meanwhile, asked Filipinos to pray for Mary Jane and to learn from her case: He reminded Filipinos traveling to other countries to be careful in accepting packages to be transported abroad even if they came from friends or family.
