「日刊まにら新聞」ウェブ

President Rodrigo Duterte did not give green light to Indonesia to execute Filipino drug convict Mary Jane Veloso, but he merely stated that he would not interfere in its laws, government officials said on Monday.

The clarification was made after a report from Jakarta Post said Duterte, who had a recent working visit in Indonesia, had given his "green light" to execute Veloso.

"Follow your own laws. I will not interfere," Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella told reporters on what Duterte told Indonesian President Joko Widodo during their meeting in Jakarta.

In a separate statement, Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. said Duterte has not given the “green light” to Veloso's execution.

Yasay gave credence to a later paragraph in the Jakarta Post story which said:"Veloso was excluded indefinitely from the list of the third round of executions prepared by the Attorney General's Office (AGO) in April, as legal procedures continue in a separate but related case".

Yasay stressed that her execution has been indefinitely deferred.

The Jakarta Post reported: “Veloso was on the execution list last year but was granted a stay of execution because her alleged boss had been arrested in the Philippines, and the authorities have requested Indonesian assistance in pursuing the case.”

Yasay said never did Duterte give the green light to Veloso’s execution other than to tell Widodo "he respects their judicial processes and will accept whatever the final decision they will arrive at regarding her case."

Prior to his trip to Laos for the ASEAN Summit and then to Indonesia, Duterte said that he would appeal for Veloso's life.

If his pleadings would fall on deaf ears, Duterte would accept Indonesia's decision.

"I do not doubt the judicial system of Indonesia... So I might just accept the system and plead for mercy. But if President Widodo will deny it, still, I would be grateful that she (Veloso) has been treated very well," he has said. Celerina Monte/DMS