Manny Pacquiao Pleads for Compatriot’s Life on Indonesian Death Row Days Before Floyd Mayweather Match

Manny Pacquiao will be facing a tough challenge in going against undefeated Floyd Mayweather on Saturday. But this is not parallel to the burden faced by a fellow Filipino charged with drug possession in Indonesia and she is facing death penalty by firing squad which could be carried out Wednesday.

In an effort to sway the decision of the Indonesia court and earn sympathy from President Joko Widodo, Pacquiao echoed a call to stop the execution of Filipino overseas worker Mary Jane Veloso, who is among the nine convicted drug traffickers set to be shot to death in an island prison in Indonesia anytime from today.

A single mother of two boys, Veloso was arrested in 2010 at the Yogyakarta airport after authorities found 2.6 kilos of heroin inside her luggage though she maintained her innocence on the charges against her, saying she had no idea how the drugs was placed inside her bag. She claimed that it was given to her by her recruiter.

"I am begging and knocking at your kind heart that your excellency grant executive clemency to her by sparing her life and saving her from execution," Pacquiao said in an interview with local news network GMA News. He added that it will be a "great morale booster" for his May 2 fight if he can help save the life of Veloso.

"Mr President, on 2 May I'll be fighting in Las Vegas, Nevada, against Floyd Mayweather. It is considered the fight of the century. It will be a great morale booster if, in my own little way, I can save a life. I am dedicating this fight to my country and the entire Asian people, to which the Philippines and Indonesia belong. Thank you, Mr President," Pacquiao added.

The Filipino champ's appeal reportedly came after Veloso's mother Celia asked to him to help spare her daughter's life.

Aside from this public appeal, the Filipino champ also encouraged his countrymen to continue praying for Veloso and hope for a miracle.

CNN Philippines said the Philippine government through President Benigno Aquino has asked President Widodo for "humanitarian consideration" during a brief meeting at the Southeast Asian leaders' summit in Kuala Lumpur on Monday. The Indonesian president was reportedly sympathetic with Veloso who is said to be a mere victim of drug trafficking but a GMA News report said the country will still push through with the execution of the convicts.

The Philippine government also raised another appeal for Veloso following the arrest of her recruiter in the country, Maria Cristina Sergio, who surrendered to the police on Tuesday. Based from the account of Veloso, Sergio and two other companions tricked her to carrying the luggage with drugs into Indonesia.

But GMA News said this recent development on the case is a little too late to save Veloso's life as Indonesia's attorney general HM Prasetyo tagged it as "a changing alibi."

"Now she says she's a victim of human trafficking. I think these are just efforts to delay the execution. We have given her all legal avenues. Don't force us to change. If we're not firm, it means we're weak in the war against drugs," Prasetyo added.