Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — The Indonesian government has repatriated Mary Jane Veloso, a Filipino national sentenced to death for drug trafficking, back to the Philippines. Veloso finally returned to Philippine on Wednesday morning December 18, after spending 15 years in an Indonesian prison.
Veloso was incarcerated at Yogyakarta Penitentiary and had been scheduled for execution in 2015, but her sentence was postponed. The Indonesian government finally approved the repatriation of Mary Jane to the Philippines.
Mary Jane Veloso expressed gratitude to Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration, and Corrections Yusril Ihza Mahendra for facilitating her transfer to the Philippine government.
“I want to thank, first and foremost, the honorable President Prabowo Subianto, the Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration, and Corrections, Mr. Yusril Ihza Mahendra, and certainly all the people of Indonesia,” Veloso said at Soekarno-Hatta Airport on Tuesday, December 17.
Veloso described her return to the Philippines as an answer to her prayers, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to return home. “I thank God for this. Finally, my prayers have been answered, and I will return to my country,” she said.
However, Veloso also admitted feeling sadness about leaving Indonesia, a country she described as her second home. “I ask everyone to pray for me, that I will receive the best. I will stay strong. I must stay strong,” she said.
After delivering her remarks, Mary Jane sang the final verse of Indonesia’s national anthem, “Indonesia Raya.” She closed her farewell with a heartfelt gesture, raising her hands to form a heart symbol and expressing her love for the country. “I want to say thank you to Indonesia, and for sure, I love Indonesia,” she said.
Mary Jane Veloso Legal Status
Despite her transfer, Mary Jane Veloso remains a convict under Philippine jurisdiction. This was confirmed by I Nyoman Gede Surya Mataram, Deputy for Immigration and Corrections at Indonesia’s Coordinating Ministry for Law, Human Rights, Immigration, and Corrections, during a press conference at Soekarno-Hatta Airport’s Terminal 2F on Tuesday, December 17, 2024.
“Mary Jane’s transfer to the Philippines does not change her status as a convict. She will remain a convict under Philippine law and serve her sentence there,” Surya said.
Indonesia Repatriate Filipino Death Row Convict Mary Jane Veloso After Decade-Long Execution Delay
Surya added that Veloso will continue her punishment according to Philippine legal procedures. “The Philippine government has the authority to grant clemency, remission, or amnesty in accordance with its national laws,” he explained.
In addition, Veloso has been placed on Indonesia’s immigration blacklist, barring her from reentering the country “Mary Jane is prohibited from returning to Indonesia. She has been added to Indonesia’s immigration watchlist, as mandated by national law,” Surya stated.
Meanwhile, Eduardo Jose De Vega, the Philippine Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Migrant Workers, confirmed that the Philippine government would comply with the practical agreement regarding Veloso’s transfer.
“We will adhere to the practical agreement signed two weeks ago by Philippine Deputy Justice Minister Raul T. Vasquez. We will honor it,” De Vega said at Soekarno-Hatta Airport on Tuesday, December 17.
(Raidi/Agung)
