The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said that the Philippine government has yet to obtain a formal agreement with the Indonesian Government about the repatriation of Mary Jane Veloso, a Filipino on death row in Indonesia, a statement from a DFA official on Wednesday said.
DFA Undersecretary clarified that there’s no written agreement yet “sila mismo ang pumunta sa atin to talk about this, so we’re extremely confident it will happen.”
De Vega made the statements when asked if the return of Veloso, which President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. announced earlier in the day, was already finalised. He clarified that talks between the two countries are still ongoing, though he suggested there may be a reason behind the President’s announcement.
Also, Justice Department spokesperson Mico Clavano said the Philippines is waiting for Indonesia to formalize its response to the request for Veloso’s repatriation.
Moreover, Indonesia’s Coordinating Ministry for Legal, Human Rights, Immigration, and Correction (Kemenko Kumham Imipas) recently disclosed it is to consider mechanisms for a prisoner exchange with foreign prisoners, including Veloso. This was during a series of discussions with Philippine Ambassador Gina Alagon Jamoralin.
Meanwhile, as for this case, Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra emphasized the promotion of the country’s legal sovereignty during the enforcement of criminal sanctions through courts.
Veloso was arrested in April 2010 at Yogyakarta airport for carrying 2.6 kilograms of heroin and was sentenced to death later that year. Her execution was delayed in 2015 after an alleged recruiter was arrested in the Philippines for supposedly bringing her into the world of the drug trade.
As negotiations for improvement in bilateral relations are still ongoing, the case of Veloso is an emblematic example of the intricacies behind international cooperation in legal matters and human rights issues.
