Mary Jane Veloso clemency by Marcos? Indonesia open to that – DFA

Filipina drug convict and death row prisoner Mary Jane Veloso, clad in traditional Indonesian attire, is seen during a program celebrating Kartini Day in honor of Indonesian national hero and women’s rights activist Raden Kartini at Yogyakarta prison on April 21, 2015. (Photo by Tarko SUDIARNO / Agence France-Presse)

MANILA, Philippines — The Indonesian government is open to the possibility of allowing President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to grant drug convict Mary Jane Veloso clemency, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega said.

Veloso, who is on death row, is anticipated to return to the Philippines although her legal custody would remain under Indonesia.

“That is to be discussed, but in the talks with [Philippine Ambassador to Indonesia] Gina Jamoralin, they were open to the possible, eventual grant of clemency by our own president.,” de Vega said in a Palace briefing on Wednesday, referring to the Indonesian government.

He then explained two possible scenarios: “We will request—while she’s here—for the official release from detention from the Indonesian criminal procedure system or another one, they will allow our president to issue the clemency on the basis that she’s been in detention for many years.”

Clemency is the act of granting mercy to a convicted individual, typically given by an executive authority.

However, de Vega noted that details regarding Veloso’s potential clemency, the detention facility where she will continue to serve her sentence, and the length of her imprisonment remain under discussion.

The Philippine government is considering the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong City or the National Bureau of Investigation facility as her detention center here, he added.

Earlier in the day, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. confirmed in a social media post that the Philippine and Indonesian governments had agreed to repatriate Veloso.

“We managed to delay her execution long enough to reach an agreement to finally bring her back to the Philippines,” said Marcos.

READ: Timeline: The case of Mary Jane Veloso

“Mary Jane’s story resonates with many: a mother trapped by the grip of poverty who made one desperate choice that altered the course of her life. While she was held accountable under Indonesian law, she remains a victim of her circumstances,” he added.

Reacting to the president’s announcement, Veloso’s mother, Celia, said she fears for daughter’s life once she returns to the Philippines after 14 years of incarceration in Indonesia.

For Celia, it would be better for her daughter to stay detained in Indonesia than be jailed in the Philippines.

“Para po sa akin, sa amin pong pamilya, kung iuuwi si Mary Jane at ikukulong din po, gugustuhin ko po sa Indonesia siya nakakulong,” Celia said in a dwPM interview.

(For me, for our family, if Mary Jane is brought home and would still be imprisoned, I would rather that she stay imprisoned in Indonesia.)

READ: Mary Jane Veloso’s ma fears for daughter’s life once back in PH

She noted that her daughter is being treated well in an Indonesian jail.

“Dahil mas safe po ang kalooban namin dahil nakikita namin ang trato kay Mary Jane talagang mahal na mahal nila. Eh dito sa Pilipinas, hindi po kami nakakasiguro dahil international na sindikato po ang kalaban namin, ” Celia said.

(Because we feel safer because we see the treatment of Mary Jane whom they love so much. But here in the Philippines, we are not sure because we are against an international syndicate.)

In 2010, Veloso was arrested at Adisucipto International Airport in Yogyakarta after she was found in possession of more than 2.6 kilograms of heroin.

Veloso maintained she was unaware of the contents of her luggage as it was only given by her recruiters, identified as Julius Lacanilao and Maria Cristina Sergio.