Indonesia confirms Veloso transfer to the Philippines

Indonesia has confirmed plans to transfer Mary Jane Veloso, a Filipina on death row, back to the Philippines. 

According to a report on "24 Oras," the decision is part of Indonesia’s “Transfer of Prisoners” policy, which allows eligible foreign prisoners to serve their sentences in their home countries.

Indonesian Chief Minister for Law and Human Rights Yusril Ihza Mahendra said that the Philippines has accepted the conditions for Veloso's transfer.

The Philippines has expressed full respect for Indonesia’s judicial decisions, a key condition of the arrangement.

Veloso, convicted of drug trafficking in 2010, has been on death row in Indonesia for over a decade. 

Her transfer to the Philippines means that her sentence could be adjusted in accordance with Philippine law, which does not enforce capital punishment.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will have the authority to decide Veloso’s fate upon her return. 

Options include granting her a pardon or commuting her sentence to life imprisonment. 

Indonesia has assured that it will respect any decision made by the Philippine government, aligning with its policy to honor the legal systems of partner nations under the prisoner transfer agreement. —NB, GMA Integrated News