Veloso transferred to regular dorm in women's prison

Metro Manila, Philippines - High-profile inmate Mary Jane Veloso has been transferred to a regular dorm at a women’s prison in Mandaluyong City after completing her five-day quarantine, the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) said on Friday, Dec. 27.

From the quarantine room at the the Correctional Institution for Women (CIW) Reception and Diagnostic Center (RDC), Veloso will now share a 14.6 meters by nearly 10 meters long dorm room with 30 other persons deprived of liberty.

CIW acting superintendent Marjorie Ann Sanidad said the “arrangement not only promotes a sense of community but also emphasizes the importance of shared experiences and mutual support among the women as they embark on their individual paths toward reform and rehabilitation.”

Veloso will stay at the RDC dorm for 55 days where she will participate in orientation, diagnostics, and classification to be familiar with the rules and regulations as well as rights and privileges.

BuCor Director General Gregorio Catapang Jr. has directed the correctional facility to translate Veloso’s prison records, documented in Bahasa, from Indonesia.

“This translation is crucial for the Bucor as it will enable them to assess whether Veloso's incarceration in Indonesia can be officially recognized as valid prison time under their jurisdiction,” the bureau said in a statement.

After almost 15 years of detention in Indonesia, Veloso returned to the Philippines on Dec. 18 after Manila and Jakarta agreed to repatriate her, saving her from the death row.

In 2010, the overseas Filipino worker was arrested in Indonesia after illegal drugs were found in her suitcase, which was handed to her by her recruiter.

Veloso appealed to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to grant her clemency as she maintains she has been innocent of the crime.

READ: Mary Jane Veloso seeks presidential clemency

NewsWatch Plus correspondent Daniza Fernandez contributed to this report.