Indonesia won’t oppose Veloso clemency

Indonesia will respect the Philippine government’s decision if it chooses to grant clemency to Mary Jane Veloso, an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) in jail in Indonesia since 2010 for drug trafficking.

Yusril Ihza Mahendra, Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration and Corrections, gave this assurance following the signing of an agreement between both countries on Friday on Veloso’s repatriation.

Yusril confirmed the Philippines had agreed to proceed with the transfer under a new program for the repatriation of foreign prisoners through bilateral negotiations.

He noted that Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto had instructed that Veloso’s case be expedited, with the aim of resolving it before 25 December.

Veloso, from Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija, was arrested in 2010 after 2.6 kilograms of heroin were found in her suitcase at Yogyakarta’s Adisutjipto International Airport. She has consistently maintained her innocence, claiming she was unaware of the drugs and was framed by her recruiter, Maria Kristina Sergio.

Veloso’s case sparked widespread outrage in the Philippines, with many believing she had been exploited by an international drug syndicate.

Initially sentenced to death by firing squad in 2015, Veloso’s execution was put on hold following a last-minute appeal by then President Benigno Aquino III and after human trafficking charges were filed against her recruiter, Sergio.

The reprieve saved Veloso’s life and she was placed in protective custody as a prosecution witness in the trafficking case.

Under the new agreement, the Philippine government will take full responsibility for Veloso’s custody and care once she returns.

Veloso’s repatriation is part of a broader Indonesian program that allows the transfer of foreign prisoners to their home countries through bilateral agreements. The program has been applied to other foreign nationals, including Australian and French citizens.

Both the Indonesian and Philippine governments have emphasized the importance of respecting each other’s legal decisions.

Indonesia has made it clear that while Veloso’s return to the Philippines will proceed under the repatriation agreement, it will defer to the Philippines’ decision if clemency is granted.

In a statement, the Philippine Department of Justice (DoJ) expressed its gratitude to the Indonesian government for facilitating Veloso’s repatriation.

DoJ Undersecretary Raul Vasquez said that while the Philippines respects the Indonesian court’s verdict, Veloso will serve her sentence according to Philippine law once she is back in the country.

Veloso’s case has come to symbolize the complex relationship between drug-related crimes, human trafficking, and the legal systems of both countries. Her supporters in the Philippines continue to insist on her innocence, calling for a thorough review of her case.