Minister Yusril Clarifies: Mary Jane Veloso Transferred, Not Released, to Serve Sentence in the Philippines

Author: Dian Kencana
November 20, 2024

File photo - The family and supporters of Philippine national sentenced to death for drug smuggling Mary Jane Veloso stage a protest during the visit of Indonesian President Joko Widodo in Manila, Philippines, Wednesday (Jan. 10, 2020). (ANTARA)

SEAToday.com, Jakarta - Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration and Corrections Yusril Ihza Mahendra said that death row inmate of narcotics smuggling case Mary Jane Veloso was not released, but transferred to her home country, the Philippines, through the transfer of prisoner policy.

Yusril also emphasized that the statement of Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. through his official Instagram account @bongbongmarcos did not contain the word “free”. According to Yusril, Marcos' statement uploaded on Wednesday only mentioned the return of Mary Jane Veloso to the Philippines.

“There is no word free in President Marcos' statement. Bring her back to the Philippines, meaning bring her back to the Philippines,” Yusril said in a written statement here on Wednesday.

Yusril explained that the Indonesian government had received an official request from the Philippine government regarding the transfer of Mary Jane Veloso. The transfer can be carried out if the conditions set by the Indonesian government are met.

A number of conditions are referred to, among others, recognizing and respecting the final decision of the Indonesian court in punishing its citizens who are proven to have committed a criminal offense in the territory of Indonesia.

In addition, the prisoner is returned to the country of origin to serve the rest of the sentence there in accordance with the decision of the Indonesian court, and the costs of transfer and security during the trip are borne by the country concerned.

“That after returning to his country and serving his sentence there, the authority to foster the prisoner switches to the authority of his country,” said Yusril.

Regarding the provision of leniency in the form of remission, clemency, and the like, Yusril said that this is the authority of the head of state concerned.

“In the case of Mary Jane, who was sentenced to death in Indonesia, it is possible that President Marcos will grant clemency and change her sentence to a life sentence, considering that the death penalty has been abolished in the Philippine criminal code. So, that step is the full authority of the President of the Philippines,” said Yusril.