Mary Jane Veloso. Photo: Bureau of Corrections 

MANILA, Philippines – Filipina death row convict Mary Jane Veloso finally returned to the Philippines on Wednesday (December 18) after 15 years of imprisonment over drug trafficking in Indonesia, the Bureau of Corrections confirmed. 

BuCor Director General Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. said Veloso arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport around 5:40 am via a Cebu Pacific flight 5J 760. 

Veloso was accompanied by Philippine officials led by Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega. 

“The flight, which departed from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta at 12:05 a.m., marked the end of a harrowing chapter in Veloso’s life,” BuCor said in a statement.

From the airport, Veloso was transported to the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong City where she will be mandatorily subjected to a 5-day quarantine and a 55-day orientation , diagnostic evaluation, and initial security classification, the BuCor said. 

Reunited with family 

Veloso’s family was in tears initially at not seeing their loved one upon her arrival. 

They however were reunited at the Women’s correctional assisted by authorities from NBI, Bureau of Correction and Department of Justice.

Veloso was prohibited from embracing her family upon the effect of the four-day quarantine set by the DOJ. 

President Marcos Jr. welcomed Veloso’s transfer who will be spared from execution since the Philippines has no death penalty.

Grateful 

In tears, Veloso thanked both Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and Marcos for allowing her to finally return home. 

“Nagpapasalamat po ako sa lahat…sa Pilipinas,” Veloso said. …Maraming salamat kay President Prabowo…kay Pangulong Marcos,” she said in a media briefing before leaving Indonesia. 

Apart from being able to return home, Veloso wishes for one more thing.

“Gusto ko na makalaya ako… Clemency… mapawalang sala. Kasi wala akong kasalanan,” she said. 

In 2010, the 39-year old former domestic worker was caught with 2.6 kilos of heroin in her luggage. She was sentenced to death after being found guilty of drug trafficking and was nearly executed by firing squad in 2015.

Even then, she maintained her innocence saying she was only told to carry a suitcase that unknowing to her contained drugs. 

Former Indonesian President Joko Widodo said their government gave her only a “temporary reprieve” from her scheduled execution but a repatriation agreement between the two countries successfully brought her home after over a decade of pleadings from Manila.