To the delight of her family and supporters Mary Jane Veloso a 30 year old Filipina who was due to be executed by firing squad in Indonesia for allegedly smuggling 2.6 kg of heroin into the country was granted a reprieve at the 11th hour on Wednesday.
The President of the Philippines Benigno Aquino had made a last minute request for her life to be spared. The execution was eventually called off after a woman Veloso had accused of planting the drugs on her in 2010 Maria Cristina Sergio 47 surrendered to police in the Philippines on Tuesday reports the Strait Times.
Popular Among Subscribers Cuba on the Cusp Subscribe In the Line of FireThe Battle of IndianaIndonesia brushed aside appeals from eight other foreign prisoners convicted of drug smuggling. The eight including Australians Andrew Chan and Myran Sukumaran and Barzilian Rodrigo Gularte were executed shortly after midnight.
As news of Veloso s temporary reprieve was announced a group of supporters holding a vigil outside the Indonesian embassy in Manila began cheering and waving flags.
savemaryjaneveloso People celebrate outside the Indonesian embassy after hearing the news
A video posted by Frank Schuengel ( amadeusphotography) on Apr 28 2015 at 11 07am PDT
Miracles do come true her mother Celia Veloso told Philippine radio station DZMM. We are so happy I can t believe it. I can t believe my child will live.
On Wednesday President Aquino thanked the Indonesian government for granting the stay.
We would like to acknowledge their sense of fairness in assessing new information we provided and their understanding that Mary Jane Veloso is a person who went to their country in search of a better life better opportunity but was taken advantaged of by criminal syndicates Aquino s spokesperson Herminio Coloma told the Straits Times.
Using the hashtag MaryJaneLives friends celebrities and well wishers took to Twitter to give thanks that Veloso had been spared.
Filipna TV host and model Bianca Gonzales tweeted that the death penalty is never the answer.
Actress Angel Locsin reminded those that while Veloso lived eight others had died.
Filipino boxer and legislator Manny Pacquiao who is currently in Las Vegas preparing for the much touted fight against Floyd Mayweather had also called on Indonesian President Joko Widodo Monday to spare Veloso s life. He tweeted a religious verse that appeared to relate to Veloso.
I call on the LORD in my distress and he answers me. Psalm 120 1
Manny Pacquiao ( MannyPacquiao) April 28 2015
And as the hashtag started trending other supporters expressed their relief.
Seeing the news about Mary Jane Veloso being spared from the execution made me teary eyed miracles do happen MaryJaneLives
Alyssa Imee ( imeetugs) April 28 2015
The news made me cry for saving Mary Jane's life. Prayers and miracles exists in times like this Thank you Lord
Yna Froline Alindayu ( YnaFroline) April 28 2015
Veloso has now been transferred from the island of Nusakambangan back to her former prison in Yogyakarta and is due to meet with her family and lawyers later on Wednesday.
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