After 13 Years of Agony: Mary Jane Veloso Finally Comes Home Tomorrow
MARY JANE VELOSO – After over a decade of separation, Mary Jane Veloso is finally coming home to the Philippines tomorrow.
Filipina death row convict Mary Jane Veloso is finally returning home tomorrow, December 18, following an agreement between the Philippine and Indonesian governments for her repatriation.
Veloso was moved from a women’s prison in Yogyakarta to Jakarta over the weekend to facilitate her transfer. Early Wednesday morning, she will board a flight back to the Philippines, confirmed Nyoman Gede Surya Mataram, Indonesia’s Deputy Coordinator of Immigration and Corrections.
The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Bureau of Corrections, and the National Bureau of Investigation have dispatched personnel to Jakarta to oversee the turnover process. DFA Undersecretary Eduardo Jose de Vega noted that the Philippine government would shoulder all expenses for Veloso’s repatriation.
Veloso’s family, who had initially planned to visit her in Yogyakarta, were informed by the DFA that their visit was canceled due to her transfer preparations. “We’ve not let the family go to Indonesia so they can welcome her here in the country,” de Vega explained.
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Veloso’s arrest in 2010 for smuggling 2.6 kilograms of heroin into Indonesia led to her death sentence under Indonesia’s strict anti-drug laws. Her execution was suspended in 2015 after the Philippine government appealed, citing her claim that the drugs had been planted by a recruiter who had since surrendered.
Malacañang lauded Veloso’s return as a testament to years of diplomatic efforts. “With much appreciation and gratefulness to the Republic of Indonesia, we confirm the imminent return of our kababayan, Mary Jane Veloso,” said Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin.
OFW Party-list Representative Marissa Magsino called Veloso’s return a “long-overdue victory” and filed a House resolution urging President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to grant her a presidential pardon. Magsino emphasized Veloso’s case as a stark reminder of the exploitation faced by overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and advocated for systemic changes to protect them.
Indonesia’s new policy allowing the transfer of custody for foreign prisoners played a pivotal role in Veloso’s repatriation. While legal custody remains with Indonesia, physical custody now rests with the Philippines.
President Marcos is expected to have the discretion to pardon Veloso once she is under Philippine jurisdiction, marking a significant step toward justice and reintegration for the embattled OFW.