Status quo on Mary Jane

As far as we know, it is still “status quo.” Indonesian news refers to a general policy announcement about new executions in general, without naming who are included and who are not. This was validated by our Indonesian sources on the ground.

Mary Jane Veloso has standing reprieve in her favor pending legal proceedings in the Philippines, which was the official Indonesian basis of the suspension of her execution in April last year. In addition, there was also a specific Indonesian official announcement late last year, declaring that their priority is their country’s economy, not executions.

The multiple cases against Mary Jane’s illegal recruiters are proceeding not as swiftly as we wish, but they are moving despite a cornucopia of dilatory legal acrobatics by the accused recruiters through their lawyers, the latest of which was just thumbed down by the Court of Appeals (which denied a prayer to stop the large-scale illegal recruitment case proceedings) on top of several previous denials by the Department of Justice and the regional trial court of such similar moves.

But we should continue to be on guard so Mary Jane can already come home sooner than later.

—EDRE U. OLALIA, secretary general, National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers, nupl2007@gmail.com