An independent survey revealed that five out of 10 people thought the government did not give enough aid to Mary Jane Veloso, the Filipina in death row in Indonesia.
By JANESS ANN J. ELLAO
Bulatlat.com
MANILA – At least half of Filipinos who are aware of Mary Jane Veloso’s plight said government support on her case was not enough, a survey revealed.
An independent survey by the thinktank Ibon Foundation said that 82 percent or eight out of 10 Filipinos are aware of Mary Jane’s plight. Of those who are aware of her case, 50 percent said she received insufficient assistance from the government.
The survey also showed that at least 56 percent, or more than half of those aware of Mary Jane’s case, said government assistance to distressed overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) is not enough.
Ibon Foundation, a non-stock, non-profit organization asked 1,219 respondents. The survey has a three-percent plus or minus margin of error. It was conducted from May 13 to 23, a week after Mary Jane’s execution was stayed. It employed multi-stage probability sampling.
Mary Jane was arrested and sentenced to death in Indonesia for carrying 2.6 kilograms of heroin, secretly stashed in a luggage her recruiter lent her. Her execution was stayed at dawn of April 29 due to mounting local and international campaigns.
Last week, the Department of Justice recommended the filing of illegal recruitment, qualified trafficking and estafa cases against her recruiters Maria Kristina Sergio and partner Julius Lacanilao. Another suspect, a certain “Ike,” remains at large.
Her case has become a rallying point for those protesting government neglect on cases of OFWs in distress. 
