By Chloe Mari A. Hufana, Reporter
FILIPINA drug convict Mary Jane F. Veloso, who narrowly escaped a firing squad in Indonesia in 2015, is back in the Philippines after almost 15 years of incarceration, the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) confirmed on Wednesday.
Ms. Veloso, a 39-year-old former domestic helper and mother of two, told reporters in Jakarta she was ready to start a new life in the Philippines.
She was arrested in Yogyakarta in 2010 after being found with 2.6 kilograms of heroin concealed in a suitcase. She said she was an unwitting drug mule, but she was convicted and sentenced to death.
She received a last-minute reprieve from execution in 2015 after the late former President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III appealed to the Indonesian government, arguing she could be a vital witness in prosecuting drug syndicates.
Ms. Veloso was flanked by heavy security upon her arrival at Manila’s airport and was transported straight to a prison facility for women. Her family and dozens of supporters who were waiting outside the terminal failed to greet Ms. Veloso on her arrival.
Prison guards later allowed Ms. Veloso’s family to spend time with her. Ms. Veloso’s two sons ran towards her and hugged her tightly as they met inside the prison compound.
“I’m so happy I’m able to come home to our country. I appeal to the president that I be given clemency,” Ms. Veloso told reporters, in a brief note to the members of the press at the Correctional Institute for Women (CIW) in Mandaluyong City.
The BuCor noted Ms. Veloso landed in Manila around 5:51 a.m. aboard a Cebu Pacific flight from Jakarta.
BuCor Director General Gregorio Pio P. Catapang, Jr. in a statement said Ms. Veloso was not in handcuffs or any restraining instruments during her transit, citing the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners.
He said under the rules, such instruments must not be applied for any longer than is strictly needed.
“Veloso had no intention of escaping or harming herself as she was eager to return to the Philippines,” he added.
Ms. Veloso will undergo a mandatory five-day quarantine at the CIW in Mandaluyong City.
In a separate briefing after her arrival in the CIW, Justice Undersecretary Raul T. Vasquez said she would be treated as an ordinary prisoner under Philippine laws.
“All that means is that whatever privileges the BuCor will grant to all [prisoners], Mary Jane Veloso is entitled to receive them,” he added in Filipino.
He said the Philippines would respect Indonesia’s conviction of Ms. Veloso, which is the essence of the agreement they reached prior to her return to Manila.
Mr. Vasquez said decision on Ms. Veloso’s appeal is under the President’s discretion as he has absolute authority in granting executive clemency.
“At the same time, we should not lose sight of the fact that there are also many persons deprived of liberty who are equally entitled, the aged, the elderly, the sick,” he added in mixed English and Filipino.
The President, in a statement posted on his X (formerly Twitter) account, said the mother of two’s safety and welfare are paramount.
“Our agencies in the justice and law enforcement sector shall continue to ensure it, as our Indonesian counterparts have safeguarded it for so long. The Philippine government welcomes the imminent transfer of Ms. Veloso which was made possible by our strong friendship and cooperation with the Indonesian government,” he said.
Meanwhile, Senate President Francis Joseph “Chiz” G. Escudero asked the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to account for Filipinos imprisoned abroad.
“The nature of the cases against them… what has or can be done to help them regain their liberty… how we can assist to make their detention, in the meantime, more bearable,” he said in a statement.
Josue Raphael J. Cortez, lecturer at the De La Salle-College of St. Benilde’s School of Diplomacy and Governance, said Ms. Veloso’s repatriation highlighted the pivotal role diplomacy plays in ensuring peace and security and the promotion of human rights and the rule of law.
“This gesture of the Indonesian public sector towards the Philippine government’s request marks yet another milestone in our partnership and shared visions,” he told BusinessWorld in a Facebook Messenger chat.
“Veloso’s return actually coincided with the celebration of our 75th year of formal ties with Jakarta, and this landmark move will undoubtedly enhance our strategic partnership as both parts of maritime Southeast Asia [are] being confronted with alike challenges,” he added. “Given that Indonesia is dubbed as ASEAN’s de-facto leader, in light of the tensions we face today, (this) can undoubtedly play a key role for us to maintain our territorial integrity by working hand-in-hand in maintaining rules-based order.”
Ms. Veloso will be held in the Reception and Diagnostic Center (RDC) for a maximum of 60 days, as per standard protocols for newly committed prisoners.
This process also includes a five-day quarantine followed by a 55-day orientation, diagnostic evaluation and initial security classification.
Once completed, she will be transferred to her designated corrections facility on the recommendations from the RDC Initial Classification Board.
During the quarantine, Ms. Veloso will be held in a regular quarantine cell for medical observation and undergo medical and physical examinations to assess her condition.
CIW personnel will also interview her to gather information for her registration and list authorized visitors.
The five-day quarantine is expected to end on December 24, allowing Ms. Veloso’s immediate family to visit her for Christmas, Mr. Catapang noted earlier. — with Reuters
