Mary Jane Veloso transferred to Jakarta ahead of PH return - Indonesia gov't

Metro Manila, Philippines - Filipina death row inmate Mary Jane Veloso has been transferred to Jakarta from her Yogyakarta prison ahead of her return to the country as agreed upon between the Philippine and Indonesian governments.

In a statement, the Yogyakarta Class IIB Correctional Facility and Indonesia's Coordinating Ministry for Law, Human Rights, Immigration and Correction confirmed Veloso's transfer.

The overseas Filipino worker was received at the Jakarta Class IIA Women’s Correctional Facility at 7:30 a.m., Monday, Dec. 16.,

Her admission process included a health check, administrative verification, and the signing of a handover report. Following the completion of these procedures, Veloso was assigned to her designated housing unit, the statement said.

“She will now undergo the environmental orientation program, a standard part of the initial orientation process at the facility. The transfer process was carried out smoothly in accordance with operational standards, prioritizing security, transparency, and respect for human rights,” Nyoman Gede Surya Mataram, deputy for Immigration and Corrections Coordination, said in the statement.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Justice have yet to issue an update on Veloso.

Last week, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. disclosed that Indonesia has urged the Philippines to refrain from making further statements on the case of Veloso, who was convicted of drug trafficking.

Veloso, arrested in 2010 at Yogyakarta Airport with 2.6 kilograms of heroin in her luggage, has consistently maintained her innocence, claiming she was duped by a recruiter.

Her case garnered international attention, with her 2015 execution delayed following appeals from the Philippine government and global public outcry.