The parents of Mary Jane Veloso, a Filipino woman on Indonesia's death row, light candles outside a church in Manila to dramatize their appeal for the life of their daughter. (Photo by Angie de Silva)
A Philippine court's decision stopping the deposition of a Filipino woman on Indonesia's death row has only delayed the uncertainty of her fate, a Catholic bishop in Manila says.
"The decision only leads to uncertainty surrounding the case and prolonged suffering for [Mary Jane Veloso]," said Bishop Ruperto Santos of Balanga, head of the commission for migrants of the bishops' conference.
On March 27, the Philippine Court of Appeals issued a "temporary restraining order" preventing Veloso from giving a written deposition inside an Indonesian prison on April 27.
The court issued the decision after Veloso's alleged human traffickers claimed it was unfair for Veloso to issue a written testimony instead of appearing in court.
The Indonesian government granted Veloso a stay of execution in 2015 to allow her to act as a witness during the trial of her alleged traffickers.
A regional trial court in the Philippine province of Nueva Ecija earlier ruled that Veloso could testify against her recruiters through a written deposition.
The Court of Appeals, however, reversed the lower court decision, saying the regional court committed a "grave abuse of discretion."
The court said it is a violation of the rights of Veloso's alleged recruiters not to be able to confront witnesses against them face to face.
The Indonesian government granted Veloso a reprieve following reports her alleged trafficker had surrendered to the police.
The Philippine government convinced Indonesian authorities that Veloso's testimony is invaluable in the prosecution of her alleged recruiters.
Indonesia, however, said Veloso could only testify from her prison cell.
Bishop Santos, said the Philippine court decision on March 27 preventing Veloso's scheduled deposition from Indonesia was "depressing and disappointing."
It only prolongs the suffering of the Filipino woman, said the bishop.
Bishop Santos said what the Philippine Court of Appeals did was a "disservice" to Veloso and an "obstruction to truth and justice."
"Indonesia is waiting for our court decision, and our court must render a decision. But what [the Court of Appeals] did was delay justice," he said.
Bishop Santos has been vocal in his call for Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte to help Veloso by ordering Philippine courts to speed up the trial of the woman's alleged recruiters.
"Let us remember that Indonesian authorities are waiting for us," he said.
The trial of Veloso's alleged recruiters could prove that she was trafficked to become a drug mule.
"[Veloso] was a victim, not a user and not a pusher," said Bishop Santos.
Earlier this year, when Indonesia announced that executions were put on hold, the bishop called on the Philippine government to take advantage of the time by speeding up the process of the trial of Veloso's alleged recruiters.
Veloso's lawyers also expressed "disappointment and unfathomable frustration" upon learning of the decision of the Philippine Court of Appeals.
"We shall not stop exhausting all fair legal means in combination with decisive political action to ensure that she is allowed to speak the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth," said Edre Olalia, president of the National Union of Peoples' Lawyers.
