Bishop Ruperto Santos of Antipolo, the vice-chairman of the Philippine Bishops’ Commi-ssion on Migrants and Itinerant People, said that the Church is in solidarity with Filipino convicts abroad, Radio Veritas Asia (RVA) reported on Saturday.
“We continue to advocate for your rights and seek justice on your behalf,” Bishop Santos said in a message broadcast via Chur-ch-run Radio Veritas Philippines, while assuring them that they were not forgotten. According to the state-run Department of Migrant Workers, 44 migrant Filipinos are on death row – 41 in Malaysia, two in Brunei and one in Saudi Arabia.
Urging the Filipinos on death row to find strength in the knowledge that they are not alone, Bishop Santos emphasised that the entire nation is standing behind them, praying for them, and hoping for a “just resolu-tion,” of their cases.
The prelate made the remarks after Filipino woman Mary Jane Veloso, who spent 14 years on death row in Indonesia after being charged with drug trafficking, was reportedly being pardoned by Indonesian government.
Last week, Philippine Presi-dent Ferdinand Marcos confir-med that Indonesian authorities have approved Veloso’s repatri-ation to the Philippines, media reports say. Veloso was arrested in Indonesia in 2010 while carrying a suitcase lined with 2.6 kilograms of heroin. She was sentenced to death by firing squad.
The case of the mother-of-two sparked an uproar in the Philippines. Veloso’s family and supporters repeatedly claimed that she was innocent and had been set up by an international drug syndicate. Bishop Santos said Filipino bishops make renewed appeals to governments, particularly in Asia, to ensure the rights of migrant workers with due process and show compassion for those caught in legal battles.