MARY Jane Veloso’s case is showing signs of hope after years of uncertainty. Indonesia is considering transferring her back to the Philippines, where she could serve the rest of her sentence. This is a positive development for her and her family.
The transfer, that was announced by Indonesia’s Ministry of Law and Human Rights, could also give Philippine officials the chance to review her case and possibly grant her clemency.
Mary Jane was recruited in 2010 for a job in Malaysia but was later sent to Indonesia, where she unknowingly carried a suitcase filled with heroin.
She was arrested and has been on death row for 14 years. But before that, on the night of 28 April 2015, just hours before her execution, Mary Jane had a tearful farewell with her family, believing she would never see her children again. But in a dramatic twist, at 10:00 pm, Indonesian police entered her cell with the unbelievable news that her execution had been called off.
The other eight prisoners were executed at 12:35 am, while Mary Jane was escorted back to Yogyakarta, and Philippine media headlines prematurely announcing her death. Her mother believed the reprieve was a miracle.
The progress we see today is the result of the hard work of her legal team, the Department of Justice, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), and the support of other individuals and organizations, as well as several Philippine presidents over the years.
The DFA, led by Ambassador Gina Alagon Jamoralin, has been actively working on Veloso’s case. Philippine presidents, from Benigno Aquino III to Ferdinand Marcos Jr., have all made efforts to ask for clemency on Veloso’s behalf.
Negotiations between the Philippines and Indonesia have been key in getting to this point. These talks have allowed both nations to find a solution that respects Indonesia’s laws while offering hope to Veloso and her family.
According to Indonesia’s coordinating ministry, if Veloso is transferred to the Philippines, it will be the Philippine government that will have the responsibility for her rehabilitation. This also includes making decisions on whether to grant remission or clemency. Yusril Ihza Mahendra, an official from Indonesia, mentioned that “all of these decisions are handed over to the respective country.”
Veloso’s transfer would give Philippine authorities the opportunity to review her case and possibly grant executive clemency. This chance of clemency could provide Veloso with a second opportunity at life, and the decision would lie with Philippine officials once she returns.
