Filipina Inmate on Death Row Repatriated to Philippines
Filipina death row Inmate Returns Home After Decade in Indonesian Prison
Mary Jane Veloso, a mother of two, was handed over to Philippine officials Tuesday after a decade on death row in indonesia.
Veloso,39,was arrested in 2010 adn sentenced to death after authorities discovered 2.6 kilograms of heroin hidden in her suitcase. Her case sparked outrage in the Philippines, with many believing she was a victim of an international drug syndicate.
Speaking at a press conference at Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport before her departure, Veloso expressed mixed emotions. “I am very happy today, but to be honest I am a little sad, because Indonesia has been my second family,” she told reporters.
Veloso, visibly emotional, sang the Indonesian national anthem before breaking down in tears during a video call with her children and parents.
She is scheduled to arrive in Manila on a Cebu Pacific flight later Tuesday. The handover was attended by Indonesian immigration and corrections officials, representatives from the Philippine embassy in Jakarta, and corrections officials from Manila.
Veloso narrowly escaped execution in 2015 after her suspected recruiter was arrested. She has maintained her innocence, insisting she was tricked into carrying the drugs.
In her first interview since the repatriation agreement, Veloso described her release as a “miracle.”
indonesia, a Muslim-majority nation, has some of the world’s strictest drug laws and has executed foreigners for drug offenses in the past.
A Decade Later: Filipina Death Row Inmate Mary Jane Veloso Returns Home
Jakarta, Indonesia – Mary Jane Veloso, a Filipina mother of two, returned to the Philippines Tuesday after spending a decade on death row in Indonesia. veloso,39,was arrested in 2010 and sentenced to death after authorities discovered 2.6 kilograms of heroin hidden in her suitcase. Her case garnered significant attention in the Philippines, with many believing she was a victim of an international drug trafficking syndicate.
speaking at a press conference before her departure from Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Veloso expressed a mixture of joy and sadness. “I am vrey happy today, but to be honest I am a little sad, because Indonesia has been my second family,” she stated. Visibly emotional,veloso sang the Indonesian national anthem before breaking down in tears during a video call with her children and parents.
Veloso narrowly escaped execution in 2015 when her suspected recruiter was apprehended.Throughout her ordeal, she maintained her innocence, asserting that she was deceived into carrying the drugs. In her first interview since the repatriation agreement, Veloso described her release as a “miracle.”
The handover of Veloso to Philippine officials was attended by representatives from Indonesian immigration and corrections, the philippine embassy in Jakarta, and Manila corrections officials. She is scheduled to arrive in Manila on a Cebu Pacific flight later Tuesday.
indonesia, a predominantly Muslim country, enforces some of the world’s harshest drug laws and has previously executed foreigners for drug-related offenses.