A ranking official of the Department of Justice (DoJ) has stated the Philippines does not need permission from the Indonesian government if it should choose to grant executive clemency to convicted Filipina drug courier Mary Jane Veloso upon her return home from Jakarta.

Justice Assistant Secretary and spokesperson Jose Dominic F. Clavano made the clarification when he was asked about the possibility of Veloso receiving a pardon from the President.

Last Friday, 6 December, the Philippines and Indonesia signed an agreement on Veloso’s transfer back to the Philippines before Christmas.

Veloso, who has been on death row in Indonesia since her conviction, was apprehended with 2.6 kilograms of heroin in her baggage on her arrival at Yogyakarta airport in 2010.

Clavano explained that the agreement between the two countries allows the Philippine government, through the President, to issue an executive clemency.

“It is completely within the purview of the Philippine government through the President to issue an executive clemency, and there seems to be no conditions imposed,” he said.

Veloso will be turned over to the Philippine government which will decide on its next steps.

Initially, he said, “we thought the legal custody would remain with Indonesia, while the physical custody would be with the Philippines.”

“It seems that right now, both legal and physical custody will be with the Philippines, and as long as there is justifiable ground to issue an executive clemency, it will be easy,” he explained.