Talk about ingratitude

Published by the Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc.

NINFA R. LEONARDIA Editor-in-Chief & President

CARLA P. GOMEZ Editor CHERYL CRUZ Busines Editor NIDA A. BUENAFE Sports Editor RENE GENOVE Bureau Chief, Dumaguete MAJA P. DELY Advertising Coordinator

CARLOS ANTONIO L. LEONARDIA Administrative Officer

It was a shocked nation that reacted to the tirades of the mother of convict Mary Jane Veloso, when she returned to the country slamming the President and the government for what happened in the case of her daughter who had been sentenced to die by firing squad for her crime.

In statements she issued to the media, Celia Veloso declared that President Aquino could not be credited for the last-minute reprieve granted to her daughter, who had already been transported to the island where death convicts are executed.

It was the Indonesian government itself that had stated that what had saved Mary Jane from the fate of the eight others who were shot dead on the scheduled day, was the fact that Philippine President Benigno Aquino III had appealed to Indonesian President Joko Widodo to spare the Filipina, because the person named as her recruiter, and who could be responsible for concealing the contraband in Mary Jane's luggage, had surfaced and surrendered to the police.

In fact, the very night the decision to stay the execution was made, the Attorney General of Indonesia himself had told the media, sounding discontented over it, that President Aquino had called up President Widodo, and that was why the execution of Veloso was stopped.

To their credit, netizens in the country responded harshly to the rantings of Celia Veloso and slammed her for being an ingrate, and for listening to parties that are out to discredit the President.

Somebody should tell Mrs. Veloso that her daughter is still a death convict as far as the Indonesian court is concerned. Not until it is proven that it was the recruiter who had actually placed the drugs in her luggage, will she have a chance of getting away. And if this does not happen, will the Filipino people still have the same concern and sympathy for the Veloso family that they had shown so wholeheartedly?

If ever Mary Jane is found truly guilty and has to suffer the consequence, what will her imprudent and ungrateful mother have to say?*