The Philippine government said a formal agreement has yet to be reached on the possible transfer of Mary Jane Veloso, a Filipina sentenced to death in Indonesia for drug trafficking, back to the country.
Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega said that while the official request is pending, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. may have strong reason to announce that Veloso may soon be coming home.
“If you mean may written agreement, wala pa iyong sagot. Pero sila mismo ang unang pumunta sa atin to talk about this. So we are extremely confident it will happen. And certainly, our President must be privy of information which would explain his confidence,” De Vega said in a press briefing in Malacanang on Wednesday, Nov. 20.
“Our president spoke, and there must be a reason for his optimism. Remember, he’s friends with the president (of Indonesia) – I will not speculate or [unclear] because we don’t want na mabulilyaso ito, you know, talks with Indonesia. They do know we want her as soon as possible and Christmas,” said De Vega.
The Department of Justice said the government has sent its request to Indonesia for Veloso’s transfer to the Philippines.
“The Indonesian government asked or requested that the Department of Justice, through the secretary, write a letter of request requesting for the transfer or repatriation of Miss Mary Jane Veloso back to the Philippines which we have already accomplished,” said Justice spokesperson Mico Clavano.
“This is an example of a detainee moving from one criminal justice system in one jurisdiction to another because precisely the reason why we are coordinating with the Coordinating Ministry of Law, Human Rights, Immigration, Corrections is because from one correctional facility, she will be transferred to another correctional facility here in our own jurisdiction,” he added.
De Vega said both sides still need to iron out the condition of Indonesia to carry out Veloso’s sentence.
“That is what we’re going to discuss. Hopefully, not even one year. Pero, of course, bottom line, at least nandito siya. I mean, life imprisonment – well, we can tell you under a Philippine law, wala tayong death penalty,” said De Vega.
“After over a decade of diplomacy and consultations with the Indonesian government, we managed to delay her execution long enough to reach an agreement to finally bring her back to the Philippines,” Marcos said in a statement on Wednesday, Nov. 20.
Marcos said Veloso’s story resonates with many Filipinos who remain to be a victim of circumstances. The chief executive also thanked the Indonesian government for its goodwill.
“I extend my heartfelt gratitude to President Prabowo Subianto and the Indonesian government for their goodwill. This outcome is a reflection of the depth of our nation’s partnership with Indonesia—united in a shared commitment to justice and compassion,” said Marcos.
Related story: Mary Jane Veloso is coming home, Marcos confirms
Veloso was arrested in 2010 at Yogyakarta Airport in Indonesia with 2.6 kilograms of heroin in her luggage.
She has consistently maintained her innocence, claiming she was duped by a recruiter who had trafficked her under the guise of securing a job as a domestic helper.
In 2015, Veloso was granted a last-minute reprieve from execution following appeals from the Philippine government and public outcry.
In 2020, a Nueva Ecija court found her recruiters guilty of illegal recruitment.
