“This victory is a testament of the people’s hard work and sacrifice to educate and galvanize the broader public in contributing to the over 185,000 signatures of international support, initiating dialogue with the Indonesian Consulate, an internet campaign that earned top ten tweeted stories, and holding rallies and vigils all the way up to the final hours of Mary Jane’s scheduled execution,” explains Angelica Cabande, NAFCON Northern California Regional Coordinator.
San Francisco, CA. – Filipino leaders and supporters from across the Bay Area gathered in Bayanihan Center to celebrate halting the scheduled execution of trafficked victim Mary Jane Veloso by the Indonesian government on April 28. Organized by the National Alliance for Filipino Concerns (NAFCON) and Migrante Northern California, the event was attended by community members who hailed the people power that ultimately convinced Indonesian President Widodo to delay Mary Jane’s execution.
“This victory is a testament of the people’s hard work and sacrifice to educate and galvanize the broader public in contributing to the over 185,000 signatures of international support, initiating dialogue with the Indonesian Consulate, an internet campaign that earned top ten tweeted stories, and holding rallies and vigils all the way up to the final hours of Mary Jane’s scheduled execution,” explains Angelica Cabande, NAFCON Northern California Regional Coordinator.
Filipinos from all walks of life expressed their thoughts and emotions as a community that looked beyond themselves to save their kababayan or fellow Filipino. Attendees narrated how they were constantly monitoring the news of any update that give them a glimmer of hope. Individuals lay sleepless in bed worried of waking up to the bad news of her execution. Others took time away from work and family in planning meetings, outreaching to churches and community organizations, attending multiple rallies, and other behind the scenes work.
Bernadette Herrera of Migrante Northern California reminded the group that the fight is far from over, “This celebration is bittersweet. The execution of Mary Jane Veloso was delayed but she remains in prison still seeking justice as a trafficked victim. The reprieve from the Indonesian government is just temporary. We must continue to support this campaign until Mary Jane is free and is home in the Philippines with her family. Until she attains justice.”
The discussions focused on what community members can do to prevent another injustice like this from happening again, a topic that led to the role of the Philippine government and President Aquino’s inaction particularly on Mary Jane’s case and his administration’s negligence to Filipino migrants worldwide in the past five years.
“The Aquino government was slow in appealing for a judicial review of Mary Jane’s case, reflective of the Philippine government’s longtime neglect of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). President Aquino touts the importance of OFWs as “modern-day heroes” of the Philippines, yet he does not support the Legal Aid Fund, which would provide them legal support. He has limited the availability of legal support only to death row cases. Yet even in such urgent cases as Veloso’s, she and others have not received timely legal resources as promised,” declares Cabande.
The event concluded with attendees vowing to hold the Philippine government accountable, to stand by Mary Jane Veloso until she receives real justice, and to ensure that OFWs receive the protection they deserve.
“Our strength is rooted in our unity as a community to fight against injustice. Mary Jane is just one of 6,000 Filipinos who leave the Philippines each day and her experience is a glimpse into the possible injustices that happen to Filipino migrant workers all over the world. As part of a growing global movement to seek justice for Mary Jane Veloso and to expose the incompetency of the Aquino government in protecting its citizens abroad, we remain steadfast in fighting for justice not only for Mary Jane Veloso, but for all overseas Filipino workers not being protected by their government,” ends Cabande