Veloso home this week

After spending 14 years in prison in a foreign land, Mary Jane Veloso is expected to return to the Philippines this week, a Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) official said Monday.

In a text message to DAILY TRIBUNE, DFA Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Eduardo de Vega said that Veloso, who has been detained in Indonesia since 2010 for illegal drug trafficking, will likely be home in two to three days.

“18 December is more likely the date,” De Vega said.

Mother of two Veloso, 39, was arrested and sentenced to death in 2010 after the suitcase she was carrying was found to be lined with 2.6 kilograms of heroin, in a case that sparked an uproar in the Philippines.

On Sunday, Veloso’s parents lamented the cancellation of their compassionate visit to their daughter, who was transferred to Jakarta on the same day from the Yogyakarta Women’s Correctional Institution in Wonosari, Yogyakarta.

De Vega said Veloso’s transfer to Jakarta was the reason her family’s scheduled visit was canceled.

“The transfer of Ms. Veloso from Indonesia to the Philippines is now being processed. Hence, while the compassionate visit of Ms. Veloso’s next of kin, supposedly scheduled on 16 to 18 December, will not be pushing through,” he said in a statement.

From Jakarta, Veloso will be flown back to the Philippines on Wednesday, Indonesia’s Ministry for Law and Human Rights confirmed.

Despite Veloso’s return to the Philippines, she will still serve the remainder of her sentence as part of the agreement with the Indonesian government.

Five years after her arrest, she was supposed to be executed by firing squad. But then Indonesian President Joko Widodo spared her life following a last-minute appeal from then Philippine President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III.

Arrested in Indonesia

Mary Jane Veloso’s ordeal began in April 2010 when she was recruited by Maria Kristina Sergio, the daughter of her godfather, to work as a domestic helper in Malaysia. According to migrant rights group Migrante International, Veloso paid Sergio P20,000 in cash and gave her a motorcycle and her cellphone to cover employment costs.

On 22 April, 2010, Veloso and Sergio traveled to Malaysia. In Kuala Lumpur, Sergio told her the job was no longer available. After three days in Malaysia, Sergio gave Veloso cash and a new suitcase and arranged for her to travel to Indonesia.

Three days later, Veloso was arrested at Adisutjipto International Airport in Yogyakarta after authorities discovered 2.6 kilograms of heroin worth $500,000 hidden in the lining of her suitcase. Veloso accused Sergio of setting her up.

Prosecutors initially sought life imprisonment, but in October 2010, Veloso was sentenced to death by firing squad. Appeals for clemency began in 2011 under then-President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, but Indonesian President Joko Widodo rejected the request in 2015 as part of his administration's anti-drug campaign.

On 28 April, 2015, Veloso was hours away from execution when a reprieve was granted after Sergio surrendered to Philippine authorities, providing grounds to use Veloso’s testimony in a human trafficking case.

Reprieve granted

The Philippine government under the administration of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. continued appealing on Veloso's behalf, asserting that she was a victim of human trafficking. On 21 November, the president announced that their appeals had borne fruit.

“After over a decade of diplomacy and consultations with the Indonesian government, we managed to delay her execution long enough to reach an agreement to finally bring her back to the Philippines,” Marcos said.

The reprieve was granted because Veloso’s testimony became crucial in the human trafficking case against her alleged recruiters, Julius Lacanilao and Cristina Sergio. While both were convicted of illegal recruitment, the human trafficking case remains pending in Philippine courts.

Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega clarified that Indonesia did not ask for anything in return for Veloso’s transfer. “The Indonesians have not requested any payback, any quid pro quo,” De Vega said. However, as part of ASEAN cooperation, he noted that the Philippines remains open to assisting Indonesia in the future.

Upon her return, Veloso will continue to serve her sentence on Philippine soil, as agreed upon with Indonesia. Justice Assistant Secretary Mico Clavano explained that Indonesia will retain legal jurisdiction over her sentence while the Philippines will have physical custody.

Veloso is expected to be detained at the Correctional Institute for Women in Mandaluyong City, pending further legal actions.