An agreement between the Philippine and Indonesian governments may result in the transfer of alleged drug mule Mary Jane Veloso to a local detention facility from death row in Jakarta.
Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo Jose de Vega is confident of a deal being struck soon. He recently confirmed that both countries have been in talks to address Veloso’s situation.
“We’re doing everything we can for Veloso,” De Vega said Friday.
“The Indonesians and the Filipinos have been talking about this for some time, and we hope that we’ll come out with a mutually agreed solution, which will be to the utmost benefit of Miss Veloso and her family,” he said.
Veloso was arrested in 2010 after 2.6 kilograms of heroin were discovered in her luggage.
She was sentenced to death but received a last-minute reprieve in 2015 when her recruiters surrendered to Philippine authorities.
Recently, Indonesia’s Coordinating Ministry for Legal, Human Rights, Immigration and Correction indicated a willingness to consider Veloso’s transfer to a Philippine prison.
Minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra met recently with the Philippine Ambassador to Indonesia Gina Alagon Jamoralin to discuss the matter.
Last year, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. personally appealed to then President Joko Widodo for a review of Veloso’s case, on the sidelines of the 42nd ASEAN Summit held in Indonesia.
No stone unturned
While acknowledging Indonesia’s legal processes, Marcos emphasized the Philippines’ commitment to resolving the issue and seeking all possible legal remedies.
Marcos recently expressed his desire for deeper Philippines-Indonesia ties in a meeting with Indonesian President-elect Prabowo Subianto in Malacañang. This marked the first official visit to the Philippines by Prabowo since his election victory.
Prabowo reaffirmed his commitment to enhancing the longstanding partnership between the two nations.
Diamond year for relations
The Philippines and Indonesia established diplomatic relations on 24 November 1949 and this year marks the 75th anniversary of their bilateral ties.
Advocates have long highlighted Veloso’s case as emblematic of the plight of trafficking victims and urged Indonesian authorities to recognize her as such.
While no official decision has been made, the potential transfer could signal progress in addressing the legal and humanitarian challenges surrounding Veloso’s case.