The governments of Indonesia and the Philippines signed an agreement on Friday to finalize the repatriation of Mary Jane Veloso, an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) who has been on death row for 14 years following a drug trafficking conviction.
Indonesian Senior Minister for Law and Human Rights Yusril Ihza Mahendra and Philippine Justice Undersecretary Raul Vasquez formally signed the agreement for the said repatriation.
Yusril Ihza Mahendra stated that Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto had instructed the transfer of Mary Jane Veloso to the Philippines before Christmas, possibly around December 20.
The minister further noted that the Philippines accepted several terms proposed by Indonesia, including recognizing the Indonesian court’s sentencing of Veloso and maintaining her status as a prisoner under Indonesian jurisdiction.
However, Indonesia expressed its commitment to respecting any decision made by the Philippines regarding Veloso after her return, including the possibility of granting her clemency.
Yusril clarified that Mary Jane Veloso would be prohibited from returning to Indonesia following her repatriation.
The Indonesian official referred to the agreement as “reciprocal,” highlighting that the Philippines should be prepared to honor a similar transfer request from Indonesia in the future for any of its citizens detained in the country.
On the other hand, Justice Undersecretary Vasquez stated that Veloso would serve the remainder of her sentence in the Philippines and would be subject to the rules and regulations of Philippine authorities.
The possibility of clemency will depend entirely on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s decision whether to grant it to Veloso.
Veloso was arrested by Indonesian authorities in Yogyakarta in 2010 following the discovery of 2.6 kilograms of heroin were her luggage. She was subsequently sentenced to death for drug trafficking.
On November 20, President Marcos Jr. announced that Veloso is finally set to return to the Philippines after more than a decade of negotiations and appeals to the Indonesian government.
