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View all search results'Pacman' meets tearful Veloso in prison
A shoulder to cry on: Veteran Philippine boxer Manny âPacmanâ Pacquiao embraces death-row drug convict Mary Jane Veloso during an emotional visit to a prison in Yogyakarta on Friday
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A shoulder to cry on: Veteran Philippine boxer Manny âPacmanâ Pacquiao embraces death-row drug convict Mary Jane Veloso during an emotional visit to a prison in Yogyakarta on Friday. Separately, Pacquiao, who is also a senator, and his wife Jinkee (right) met with House of Representatives spokesman Setya Novanto to thank Indonesia for sparing Velosoâs life in April. (JP/Tarko Sudiarno) (right) met with House of Representatives spokesman Setya Novanto to thank Indonesia for sparing Velosoâs life in April. (JP/Tarko Sudiarno)
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span class="caption">A shoulder to cry on: Veteran Philippine boxer Manny 'Pacman' Pacquiao embraces death-row drug convict Mary Jane Veloso during an emotional visit to a prison in Yogyakarta on Friday. Separately, Pacquiao, who is also a senator, and his wife Jinkee (right) met with House of Representatives spokesman Setya Novanto to thank Indonesia for sparing Veloso's life in April. (JP/Tarko Sudiarno)
Superstar Filipino boxer Manny 'Pacman' Pacquiao fulfilled on Friday his promise to meet death-row inmate Mary Jane Veloso in a Yogyakarta prison. During the visit he reiterated his plea to the Indonesian government to spare the life of his compatriot.
Pacquiao was accompanied by his wife Jinkee Jamora and Philippine Ambassador to Indonesia Maria Lumen B Isleta in his morning visit to the Wirogunan Penitentiary, where Veloso has been detained since late April after the Attorney General's Office (AGO) decided to postpone her execution.
'I've just come to encourage and support her,' Pacquiao told reporters after the meeting.
The 30-year-old Veloso was among nine death row inmates scheduled to face a firing squad on April 29 for drug trafficking charges. She was arrested in possession of 2.6 kilograms of heroin at Adisucipto International Airport in Yogyakarta in 2010.
The AGO, however, decided to delay Veloso's execution after she was named a witness in a human trafficking case being investigated by Philippine authorities.
Veloso could not hold back her tears when Pacquiao hugged her upon his arrival. Pacquiao and his wife later spent 30 minutes in private conversation with Veloso.
During their meeting, Veloso gave Pacquiao a blue scarf with the word 'Pacman' on it and a gemstone ring made by her fellow inmates at the penitentiary.
Pacquiao, in return, gave Veloso US$3,000 in cash.
Prior to leaving the prison, Pacquiao and his wife asked Veloso to hold each other's hands and pray together.
'We are hoping that the Indonesian government will save her life and grant our [clemency] request,' he said.
In support of his government's efforts to save Veloso from the firing squad, Pacquiao made a public appeal to President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo to spare Veloso's life in late April, a few days before his $400 million megafight with American boxer Floyd Mayweather.
He also pledged to visit Veloso in prison after completing the fight.
Pacquiao, who is also a member of the Philippine House of Representatives, arrived on Wednesday in Indonesia for a three-day visit, during which he was scheduled to shoot a TV commercial for a local herbal medicine product.
Later on Friday, Pacquiao and his entourage flew to Jakarta to meet with the leadership of the Indonesian House of Representatives.
Speaking to reporters after accompanying Pacquiao in the brief meeting, Ambassador Isleta said that her government would continue to work with Indonesian authorities to unearth more evidence that would strengthen Veloso's case against Veloso's alleged recruiter Maria Kristina Sergio, who voluntarily turned herself in to the police the day before Veloso was scheduled to face the firing squad.
Meanwhile, Attorney General M. Prasetyo insisted that Pacquiao's meeting with the House leadership would not affect Veloso's impending execution.
'No, [the meeting] will not postpone her execution. Like I've said before, we are waiting for the legal process in the Philippines to conclude. We must respect it,' he said.
