President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. thanked both past and present Indonesian leaders for their cooperation in the case of Mary Jane Veloso, a Filipina convicted in Indonesia.
In a recent interview, Marcos shared that his administration had been working to reduce Veloso’s death sentence to life imprisonment. “Since I took office, we’ve been striving to make this happen,” he said. Marcos credited the strong ties between the Philippines and Indonesia for the successful commutation, noting the roles played by both former President Joko Widodo and current President Prabowo Subianto.
Marcos emphasized that Indonesia had no plans to execute Veloso. “We’ve been working on this for years, under previous administrations, and after 10 years, we were able to get her sentence commuted,” he stated, confirming that Veloso would soon return to the Philippines.
Clemency Possibility
When asked about the potential for clemency, Marcos said all options were still open. The Indonesian government clarified that while Veloso could be transferred to the Philippines, she would remain in detention, with conditions in place.
Indonesian official Yusril Ihza Mahendra explained that the transfer would not mean release, but Veloso could be sent back to the Philippines if certain conditions are met, including the Philippine government covering the costs and respecting the Indonesian court’s ruling.
Once in the Philippines, any decisions regarding her sentence, including potential clemency, would be up to President Marcos, as the country has abolished the death penalty.
Veloso’s Case
Veloso was arrested in 2010 with 2.6 kilograms of heroin in her luggage. She has always claimed innocence, saying she was a victim of human trafficking. After international appeals, her execution was postponed in 2015. If her transfer is completed, it would mark a significant step in resolving her case.
