Filipinos Rejoice at 'Miracle' as Mom Gets Last-Minute Execution Reprieve In Indonesia

"Miracles do come true."

This statement reverberated across the Philippines on Wednesday as Filipinos rejoiced at the news that 30-year-old drug convict Mary Jane Veloso, their countryman facing a firing squad in Indonesia, was given a reprieve by Indonesian President Joko Widodo literally at the last minute before her scheduled execution.

The Philippines' Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed the reprieve.

"We are relieved that the execution of Mary Jane Veloso was not carried out tonight," department spokesman Charles Jose told a press conference.

"The Lord has answered our prayers."

Veloso was moved out of Nusakambangan, Indonesia's so-called ''execution island," following Widodo's reprieve order.

The Indonesian government unexpectedly spared Veloso from execution at dawn on Wednesday while proceeding with the execution of eight other drug convicts from Nigeria, Australia, Brazil and Indonesia.

A spokesman for Indonesia's Attorney General's Office said it had stayed the execution of Veloso after Philippine President Benigno Aquino III made a final request for a reprieve on Tuesday night and after a job recruiter, whom Veloso had accused of planting the drugs in her luggage, surrendered to the police in the Philippines.

Veloso, a housemaid and mother of two, was arrested in 2010 after she arrived in Yogjakarta with 2.6 kg of heroin hidden in her suitcase.

Amid the jubilation, Filipinos were left wondering why the Indonesian president rejected the combined pleas for clemency of the European Union, U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon and the Australian and Brazilian governments but acceded to the Philippine government's request.

Before flying back to Manila at the conclusion of the Association of Southeast Asian Nation summit in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia on Tuesday night, Aquino made a final call to Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi to propose turning Veloso into a witness and help authorities ''uncover'' the drug syndicate that supposedly duped her into smuggling drugs.

Aquino reportedly told Marsudi that it is in the interest of both Indonesia and the Philippines to keep Veloso alive to help in efforts to run after the ''bigger fish,'' referring to her illegal recruiters and the drug syndicate.

Indonesia's Attorney General confirmed that Aquino's appeal and the surrender of Veloso's job recruiter, Maria Kristina Sergio, compelled Widodo to save Veloso's life.

"There was a request from the Philippine president regarding the perpetrator who's suspected of committing human trafficking and surrendered in the Philippines. Mary Jane is needed for her testimony," Tony Spontana, the spokesman for Indonesia's Attorney General, said in a text message to media.

Mary Jane's mother Celia Veloso was ecstatic upon learning of the "miracle" that happened to her daughter. Interviewed on a local radio station, the elder Veloso said she "can't believe my child will live."

"We had no more hope. My (other) children were already in the island waiting to pick up her body," she said.

"We are all so happy. Her (Mary Jane's) kids were all awake, yelling 'Yes, yes, mama will live!'"

"I will tell her (Mary Jane) it is true what she said, if God wants you to live, as long as there is a minute left, he will save you," she said, her voice choking with emotion.

On the street outside the Indonesian embassy in Manila, activists staging a vigil for Veloso cheered and hugged each other as news of the reprieve was announced.

Veloso's relatives, friends and even ordinary Filipinos on the streets also burst out cheering upon hearing the report on radio.

Veloso's case has attracted huge attention in the Philippines with near daily rallies of support. Even Filipino boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao took time out from his training ahead of his May 2 bout with fellow boxing superstar Floyd Mayweather Jr. to join his countrymen in pleading for Indonesia to spare the life of the Filipino mother.

Meanwhile, a lawyer for the two Australian convicts said they had both been executed through firing squad.

The Brazilian government also confirmed that one of its citizens had been executed as well, saying it was shocked by the second state-sanctioned killing of a Brazilian in Indonesia in three months despite an appeal made by President Dilma Rousseff.

The executions are expected to strain ties between Indonesia and other countries, in particular Australia and Brazil.

Amnesty International denounced the executions as "utterly reprehensible," saying it "shows complete disregard for due process and human rights safeguards."

Supporters of those executed expressed sadness, shock and anger on social media. Hours before the expected executions, crowds had gathered in several Australian cities to hold vigils for Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan, holding placards and calling for Australia to respond strongly if the executions were carried out.

Prison officials on an island off Cilacap town on the Java coast said the blindfolded prisoners were given the choice to stand, kneel or sit before the firing squad. Their hands and feet were tied.

Twelve marksmen were assigned to fire at the heart of each prisoner, but only three would have live bullets. Authorities said this way that the executioner would remain unidentified.

Indonesia reinstituted capital punishment for drug crimes in 2013. Six had already been executed prior to Wednesday morning's executions.