Indonesia asks PH to withhold comments on Mary Jane Veloso - Marcos

Metro Manila, Philippines - Indonesia has urged the Philippines to refrain from making further statements on the case of Mary Jane Veloso, a Filipino worker convicted of drug trafficking.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. disclosed Jakarta’s request during an ambush interview in Bulacan when asked about Veloso’s possible return to the country.

“We were asked by the Indonesian government not to make any announcements until everything is settled. So, let’s respect that request,” said Marcos.

The president previously announced Veloso’s potential return to the Philippines on his X account (formerly Twitter).

“Mary Jane Veloso is coming home. Arrested in 2010 on drug trafficking charges and sentenced to death, Mary Jane’s case has been a long and difficult journey. After over a decade of diplomacy and consultations with the Indonesian government, we managed to delay her execution long enough to reach an agreement to finally bring her back to the Philippines,” he posted on Nov. 20.

Last week, Indonesia's senior minister for law and human rights affairs, Yusril Ihza Mahendra, and Philippine Justice Undersecretary Raul Vasquez signed an agreement for Veloso’s repatriation from Jakarta.

“As instructed by President Prabowo [Subianto], if possible, we could resolve this case before Christmas,” Yusril said, adding that Veloso could be transferred around Dec. 20.