Tag Archives: handwritten letter of mary jane veloso addressed to filipino women and children

Mary Jane Veloso’s message to Filipino women and children

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Image credit: My daughter. The image appeared in People’s Tonight, May 1, 2015 edition.

Mary Jane Veloso wrote a letter to the Filipino women and children while she was at the Nusa Kambangan Island in Indonesia. It was the island where the execution of prisoners take place.

Veloso’s execution was scheduled on April 29, 2015. Indonesian authorities said she was involved in drug trafficking.

Mary Jane also wrote a letter to President Aquino and VP Binay, but I chose to just mention the ones that she addressed to Filipino women and young people.

For women who want to try their luck abroad, Mary Jane advised them to apply only to legitimate employment agency.

“Para sa mga mahal kong kababayang babae sa Pilipinas, gusto kong ipaabot sa inyong lahat na kung gusto ninyong magtrabaho o pumunta sa ibang bansa, huwag kayong papayag kung hindi kayo gagamit ng agency o legal na paraan para maiwas kayo sa kapahamakan at nang hindi ninyo abutin ang sinapit ko,” she said in a handwritten letter.

Mary Jane also warned young people not to involve themselves in drugs and other illegal activities as this can ruin their lives and education.

“Sa limang taon na pananatili ko sa loob ng kulungan marami akong nalaman, araw-araw kong kasama ang mga taong nalulong sa ipinagbabawal na gamut, karamihan sa kanila ay mga kabataan at dahil sa maling pakikihalubilo o pakikipagbarkada sa mga taong gumagawa ng ipanag-babawal na gawain, marami ang nagiging biktima at nalilihis ng landas, karamihan sa kanila ay itinatakwil ng kanilang pamilya, napapariwara, nasisira ang pag-aaral, meron ding nagkakasakit…at namatay dahil sa sobrang paggamit ng drugs.”

Credit: The DFA Facebook page for the handwritten letters of Mary Jane Veloso.

Update:

Mary Jane, who is due to be executed on the Nusa Kambangan Island this morning (April 29), got a last-minute reprieve. She was spared after the one who allegedly recruited her and tricking her into carrying drugs to Indonesia turned herself in to the National Bureau of Investigation.