The family of Mary Jane Veloso is set to receive multiple forms of support from the government as they await her possible return to the Philippines.

On Saturday, November 23, 2024, Department of Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac visited Veloso’s parents in General Mamerto Natividad, Nueva Ecija to give them financial aid.

Cacdac also pledged additional assistance for home repairs and announced scholarships for Veloso’s children to help them complete their education.

Veloso, who has been on Indonesia’s death row since 2010 for drug trafficking, is overjoyed reportedly at the prospect of returning to the Philippines.

However, her family is worried about the possibility of her remaining behind bars even in the Philippines.

They have appealed for her not to be jailed in the same facility as her convicted recruiter, Maria Cristina Sergio.

According to a reliable source of GMA Integrated News, Indonesian authorities are waiting for their president’s return from an overseas trip to finalize the conditions for Veloso’s repatriation.

BACKGROUND

Veloso was arrested in 2010 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, after authorities found 2.6 kilograms of heroin in her luggage.

She has maintained her innocence consistently, claiming she was tricked by her recruiter into carrying the drugs.

Her execution was postponed in 2015 following an appeal by then President Benigno Aquino III.

Recently, President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. confirmed ongoing negotiations with Indonesian officials for her transfer, signaling a new chapter in Veloso’s long struggle for freedom.