The transfer of Mary Jane Veloso back to the Philippines, an overseas worker detained in Indonesia on drug charges, is now being processed, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced on Sunday.
DFA Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Eduardo de Vega confirmed that the transfer process was the reason behind the cancellation of the scheduled compassionate visit of Veloso’s family to Indonesia this week.
In a statement, Celia and Cesar Veloso, Mary Jane’s parents, expressed disappointment over the cancellation of their trip to visit their daughter, whom they have not seen in over a year.
The DFA had informed them that their trip to Indonesia would not push through because Mary Jane was scheduled for transfer to Jakarta from the Yogyakarta Women’s Correctional Institution in Wonosari, Yogyakarta.
“This morning, at 9:13 a.m., our family received a notice from the DFA... informing us that our planned visit to Mary Jane in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, from 16-18 December will no longer push through,” the family said.
“Mary Jane is scheduled to travel to Jakarta today to begin the process of her transfer to the Philippines, in compliance with the order of the Indonesian Ministry for Law, Human Rights, Immigration and Corrections,” they added.
While they noted that the exact date of Mary Jane’s return to the Philippines remains uncertain, the news brought them hope.
“[T]he Philippine government requests the family’s continued patience and understanding as it arranges for the best opportunity for them to meet with Ms. Veloso when she is finally back on Philippine soil,” De Vega told DAILY TRIBUNE in a text message.
Despite their canceled visit, Veloso’s parents expressed joy that their daughter, who has been detained in Indonesia for 14 years, is closer to coming home.
“We... are disappointed that our visit to Mary Jane will not push through, as we had prepared for this and were excited to be with her again after a year since our last visit,” the parents said.
They continued: “Nevertheless, we are overjoyed because Mary Jane’s return to our country is fast approaching.”
Indonesia announced last month that Veloso could be repatriated under a new program allowing foreign prisoners to be transferred to their home country through bilateral negotiations.
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.
In 2015, the DFA posted photos of letters written by Veloso from prison after the agency and her family visited her. In one letter, she reflected on her time in jail surrounded by drug offenders, many of whom were young people.
She also urged Filipino women seeking jobs abroad to follow legal processes and use legitimate employment agencies to avoid falling into similar situations.
To those who set her up, Veloso expressed hope that their conscience would weigh on them, saying, "You know I am innocent and will be executed for a crime I didn’t commit."
She also thanked then-President Benigno Aquino III and Vice President Jejomar Binay for their continued efforts to save her from execution, saying she believed the government was doing everything possible to help her.Handwritten letters from Mary Jane Veloso from 2015, disseminated to the public through the Department of Foreign Affairs.
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.
Mary Jane Veloso, the youngest of five siblings, grew up in extreme poverty in Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija. Her father worked seasonally in the sugarcane industry and collected recyclables to support the family. Forced to drop out of school in her first year of high school, Mary Jane married young but eventually separated, becoming a single mother to two sons.
Hoping to improve her family’s future, she went to Dubai in 2009 to work as a domestic helper. Her dreams were cut short when she returned early after surviving an attempted rape by her employer, as reported by Migrante International.
Now, nearly 15 years later, Mary Jane Veloso is finally coming home. Whether she will be granted clemency remains uncertain, leaving the final chapter of her ordeal yet to be written.