Pinay death convict moves Pacman to tears
By Aquiles Z. Zonio
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 10 Jul 2015
GENERAL SANTOS CITY ? Boxing icon and Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao was in tears after meeting with death convict Mary Jane Veloso in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
In a text message, Tomas Falgui II, Pacquiao?s legal counsel, described the meeting between Pacquiao and Veloso as ?emotional.?
Falgui was part of Pacquiao?s entourage which left Manila on Tuesday en route to Indonesia.
Falgui claimed the entourage arrived at Veloso?s jail around 7:35 a.m. and the meeting lasted for about 45 minutes.
?The simplicity, innocence and faith were all in her (Veloso) face,? Falgui portayed Mary Jane, who is facing execution by firing squad for alleged drug trafficking in Indonesia.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo, however, granted her a three-month temporary reprieve last April.
Pacquiao went to Indonesia to shoot a commercial but he fulfilled his promise to visit Veloso in her cell once he gets to Indonesia.
It can be recalled that while holding his training camp in the United States last April, Pacquiao made an appeal to Widodo to spare the life of Veloso.
When the Indonesian President deferred the execution of the Pinay migrant worker, Pacquiao pledged to visit Indonesia to see Veloso and to personally extend his gratitude to the Indonesian top leader for the postponement of Veloso?s execution.
Pacman?s Indonesian conduit was trying to arrange his audience with Widodo, but until this time the meeting could not yet be confirmed.
?What struck us most, especially Cong. Pacquiao, during the meeting was when Mary Jane took out a gift ? it was a scarf from a plastic bag ? and gave it to Pacman. Mary Jane, herself, wove the scarf with the names ?Pacman? and ?Manny? sewn on it,? Falgui bared.
Falgui added that during the meeting all the members of Pacquiao entourage were in tears except the boxer-lawmaker.
When they returned to the car, Falgui claimed, Pacquiao started crying and said ?Grabe! Marami sa atin na nasa labas ng kulungan ang madaling mawalan ng pag-asa. Si Mary Jane nakakulong subalit malalim ang pananampalataya at hindi nawawalan ng pag-asa.?
Photo: Couple Manny & Jinkee Pacquiao with death convict Mary Jane Veloso during the pray over inside the Indonesian Jail facility in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. /Photo contributed by Atty. Tom Falgui.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Aquiles Z. Zonio.
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