On January 31, 2025, OFW Party-list Representative Marissa ‘Del Mar’ Magsino met with the family of Mary Jane Veloso, a Filipino on death row in Indonesia, who was recently brought back to the Philippines and is currently under government custody. The meeting took place in Manila, where Veloso’s parents, Cesar and Celia, and her siblings, Darlene and Maritess, had come from Nueva Ecija to visit her at the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong City.
During the meeting, Magsino expressed her unwavering support for Veloso and her family, emphasizing the dangers faced by many overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and the commitment of the OFW Party-list to protect their rights and welfare. She highlighted the plight of OFWs who fall victim to trafficking and exploitation, using Veloso’s case as a poignant example.
Veloso, who was sentenced to death in Indonesia on drug charges, has always claimed to be a victim of human trafficking. Her execution was postponed in 2015 due to significant public and diplomatic pressure. Now back in the Philippines, she awaits a potential pardon while remaining in custody.
Magsino recently used a privilege speech to discuss the challenges faced by incarcerated OFWs and reiterated her call for executive clemency for Veloso. In a related development, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo stated in an interview that Veloso’s transfer to the Philippines has bolstered the relationship between the Philippines and Indonesia, describing Indonesia’s decision as one made without any conditions attached.