Jakarta: President Rodrigo Duterte was unable to meet imprisoned OFW Mary Jane Veloso during his working visit to Indonesia, owing to a tight schedule, media reports said.
He met with members of the Filipino community and Indonesian President Joko Widodo, reported CNN Philippines.
Duterte reportedly arrived in Jakarta late Thursday, straight from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Laos.
After taking some rest, Duterte faced a hectic Friday, packed with meetings and site visits, the report said.
He was reportedly expected to meet more than 500 Filipinos at the Grand Ballroom of Shangrila Hotel Jakarta in the morning.
There are an estimated 9,000 overseas Filipino workers in Indonesia composed mostly of teachers and other professionals, the report pointed out.
In the afternoon, Duterte was due to lay a wreath at Jakarta’s National Monument, Indonesia’s counterpart to the Philippines’ Libingan ng mga Bayani.
Duterte then headed to the presidential palace for a meeting with Widodo.
Among the issues to discussed by the two ASEAN leaders was maritime security in light of the series of abductions of Indonesian nationals by the Abu Sayyaf Group, said the news portal.
Duterte earlier said he would also be appealing for the case of jailed OFW Mary Jane Veloso who faces a death sentence, after getting convicted of carrying 2.6 kilograms of heroin back in 2010.
Veloso reportedly got a last-minute reprieve last year, pending results of the criminal case filed against her recruiter in the Philippine courts. Veloso said her recruiter planted the drugs in her luggage.
Duterte however said he would respect whatever decision the Indonesian President would make on Veloso’s case, reported CNN Philippines.
