Prisoner swap pacts with other nations eyed after Veloso’s return

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MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Francis Escudero asked the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to make an accounting of Filipinos incarcerated abroad and explore a treaty on “prisoner swap” for the possible serving of their sentences in the Philippines.

Escudero aired his request in a message to reporters on Wednesday, following the arrival from Indonesia of  Mary Jane Veloso, the Filipina inmate on death row in Indonesia who spent almost 15 years in prison for drug trafficking.

“I hope that Mary Jane’s repatriation is only the first of many Filipinos similarly situated in various parts of the world,” said Escudero.

Escudero noted that this proves President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. truly cares for Filipinos overseas.

This then prompted him to emphasize that Veloso’s case should be a wake-up call for the government to focus on the plight of similarly situated Filipinos.

“We should, therefore, ask the DFA—as I am now asking them—to inventory and make an accounting of Filipinos who are incarcerated in a foreign country,” said Escudero.

He pointed out that the DFA’s database should include the nature of the Filipinos’ cases, what has or can be done to help them regain their liberty; and how the government can assist to make their detention, in the meantime, more bearable, among others.

“[We also need to] explore and push for a treaty on prisoner swap for the service of sentences here—closer to their loved ones—of convicted Filipinos abroad,” Escudero emphasized.

The DFA, meanwhile, thanked the government of Indonesia for its sincere and decisive action, which allowed Veloso to be home before Christmas.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo, in a statement also issued Wednesday, said this is a significant achievement for the bilateral relations between the Philippines and Indonesia.