At 1pm: GMA 7 News reporter Salima Refran quoted Malacañang spokesperson Sonny Coloma’s text on the result of the Aquino-Widodo huddle three hours ago: The Indonesian president in response to President Aquino’s plea to spare the life of Mary Jane Veloso on humanitarian consideration said that he would consult with their attorney general, then promised that he and Aquino would speak again later in the day.
ANC (ABS-CBN cable news) reported that Aquino said Widodo was sympathetic to the plight of Mary Jane Veloso. At least, this was the sense that he got.
The good news is that President Aquino was not outrightly rebuffed, and that they would talk again.
The President as PNoy, or Noy, or Noynoy, can be persuasive and charming in one-on-one engagements (the PNoy that Josh and Bimby are fond of hugging) but when he feels kinukuyog (being besieged) or when he is stressed out, he can be abrupt, awkward, even “dismissive” to some. i’m blabbering in this paragraph — i will just continue playing OPM songs in my widgets here to show my in-the-moment support for the President’s efforts.
In the words of Atty. Edre Olalia, “At saka na tayo magtuos…” . This portion was never translated into English by the news media. It translates into:…. hmmm, let me see… how do i put this diplomatically for the President … it translates into: “there will be a proper time for reckoning”.We hope the President convinces Widodo, and the reckoning becomes a time of redeeming. (at the very least, we hope the supposed April 28, 5pm execution is stayed.)
#SaveMaryJane #SaveMaryJaneVeloso : A Plea for Reprieve or Stay of Execution pending Appeal
Precedents, and the law and procedure in Indonesia allows a reprieve or a stay of execution thru an order of temporary reprieve issued directly by the Indonesian president.
Philippine President Aquino in his departure statement for the ASEAN Summit aired a few minutes ago said that he would speak with the Indonesian President about the situation of Mary Jane Veloso. Both heads of state are attending the ASEAN Summit, scheduled to start today.
President Joko Widodo, based on his interviews, seems to be sensitive to what he calls “foreign interference” over Indonesia’s “sovereign right to exercise our laws”. What we are asking for however is within the framework of Indonesian law and procedure, that is, a temporary reprieve or stay of execution pending appeal. i have faith that President Aquino can both be gentle and intelligently convincing when he meets with the Indonesian President and would be his usual persuasive best in his conversation with President Widodo to distinguish the situation of our compatriot Mary Jane Veloso with the so-called Bali 9 convicted earlier.
In the immediate or in the meantime we pray for a temporary reprieve in order to give time for the courts to read the second Petition for Review that has been filed by Mary Jane — thus, we are not interfering with the laws and processes of Indonesia as the procedure allows this remedy and relief– plea for a little time since the courts have not gone over the pending petition for review. Apparently, Mary Jane did not understand what was going on when she was being tried for this capital offense.
We trust that the President’s entourage is concerned enough to have done the homework required and that they have briefed the President on the factual background, legal grounds, and humanitarian consideration. At the bare minimum, perhaps the Indonesian president could be persuaded to at least not set a date of execution yet and let the appellate review take its course.
Hopefully, President Aquino can at least get an assurance that, at the bare minimum, no date for execution be set yet.
