21 January 2016 – Upon the request of her family, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) arranged a humanitarian visit to Mary Jane Veloso for her parents, Cesar and Celia, and her two minor sons, Mark Daniel and Mark Darren. The visit took place at the Wirongunan Penitentiary in Yogyakarta, Indonesia from January 12 to 15.
The visitation hours during the four successive days that the family was allowed to be with Mary Jane were extended by the Indonesian authorities in view of the distance that the family had to travel to be with her.
A simple celebration inside the prison’s social hall was arranged by the Philippine Embassy in Jakarta to commemorate the 31st birthday of Mary Jane. A cake and the children’s favorite fried chicken were brought inside the prison for the celebration. Her family gifted her with clothing, books, and greeting cards/letters from her friends and relatives.
Mary Jane requested her favorite durian and some clothing for her use during sports activities organized for inmates. These requests were favorably accommodated by officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs and were given to her during the course of the 4-day visit. A modest welfare assistance was also provided to Mary Jane by the visiting DFA officials for her purchase of personal necessities from the prison store.
Yogyakarta Chief Prosecutor Tony Spontana invited the visiting DFA officials to a meeting at the main office of the regional prosecutorial authorities. The DFA officials were joined by Indonesian lawyers Rudyantho and Agus Salim, whose services were engaged by DFA in the appeal of Mary Jane’s conviction to the Indonesian higher courts. At that meeting, the two sides confirmed their respective government’s commitment to work together in responding to the Philippine Government’s request for mutual legal assistance in relation to the prosecution of those responsible for bringing Mary Jane to Indonesia.
The family was accompanied during the visit by Special Assistant Francisco Noel R. Fernandez III and Desk Officer Christine Panganiban of the Department’s Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs (OUMWA) and officials from the Philippine Embassy in Jakarta, composed of First Secretary Shirlene Mananquil, ATN Officer Chito Mendoza, and Interpreter Selbino Sambajon. END