DFA: PH, Indonesia discussing possible transfer of Mary Jane Veloso 

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Tuesday confirmed that the Philippine and Indonesian governments have been discussing the possible transfer of Filipina death row inmate Mary Jane Veloso to a Philippine facility.

In a statement, the DFA said it is hopeful for the resolution of the issue and to bring justice to Veloso who is in jail in Indonesia for 14 years now.

“The DFA joins the Filipino nation in the hope and prayers for a successful resolution of this issue, one which shall do justice to Ms. Veloso and her family while strengthening the deep bonds of friendship between the Philippines and Indonesia,” the agency said in a statement.

Last week, the Indonesia’s Coordinating Ministry for Legal, Human Rights, Immigration, and Correction (Kemenko Kumham Imipas) said it is considering the option of “transfer of prisoner” or prisoner transfer for foreign inmates, including Veloso, as part of constructive diplomacy.

It said this was discussed during a meeting with Philippine Ambassador Gina Alagon Jamoralin where Coordinating Minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra emphasized that Indonesia upholds legal sovereignty and is committed to enforcing the criminal sanctions imposed by the courts.

In 2010, Veloso was convicted of drug trafficking after she was caught with 2.6 kilos of heroin in Yogyakarta. She was given the death penalty.

Veloso has since been asserting her innocence, saying she was just a victim of human trafficking.

The Philippine government has repeatedly asked the Indonesian government for her freedom.

In 2015, then-Indonesian President Joko Widodo said their government gave Veloso a “temporary reprieve” from her scheduled execution in relation to alleged human trafficking.

A human trafficking case and large-scale illegal recruitment cases were filed against Veloso's traffickers Julius Lacanilao and Cristina Sergio in the Regional Trial Court of Nueva Ecjia.

In 2020, a guilty verdict on the illegal recruitment case was handed down on the recruiters but the trafficking case is still pending.

In January this year, Veloso’s family sent letters to Joko Widodo and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to appeal for her clemency. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News