AFTER more than a decade languishing in an Indonesian prison for drug trafficking, 39-year-old Mary Jane Veloso, former overseas worker and a mother of two, is finally home.
Accompanied by officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs, National Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), Veloso arrived at Terminal 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on board Cebu Pacific flight SJ 760 at 5:51 a.m. yesterday.
Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo Jose de Vega and BuCor Director General Gregorio Catapang Jr. said the flight left Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta at 12:05 a.m.
The flight home marked the end of a harrowing chapter in Veloso’s life that started when she was apprehended by Indonesian authorities with 2.6 kilos of heroin in her luggage in 2010. She was convicted and sentenced to death by firing squad by an Indonesian court. Her 14 years in detention included nearly nine years on death row. Veloso won a last-minute reprieve in 2015 minutes before facing a firing squad, following appeals from then-President Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino III to then-President Joko Widodo to allow her to testify against a syndicate that duped her into working abroad and becoming an unwitting drug courier.
Prior to her departure from Indonesia, Veloso faced Indonesian and Filipino media where she told them she was grateful that she would be returning to the Philippines.
“I am grateful that finally I can go home to the Philippines, but I hope to go home to my family. I want to be freed. To be given clemency. Because I did no wrong,” she said in Filipino during a press conference late Wednesday.
De Vega said Veloso also expressed gratitude to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his Indonesian counterpart Prabowo Subianto.
De Vega said Veloso was able to speak Bahasa, the Indonesian language that she learned in prison. A video of the press conference showed Veloso even singing parts of the Indonesian national anthem.
During the flight to Manila, Catapang said Veloso was not in handcuffs or any instrument of restraint.
“Under the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners as adopted by the United Nations, such instruments must not be applied for any longer than strictly necessary,” said Catapang who is part of the team that fetched Veloso.
“She has no plan to escape or harm herself and all she wants is to return to the Philippines, so why would we handcuff her,” he added in Filipino.
REUNION
Members of the Veloso family, including Mary Jane’s sons, failed to see and hug her upon her arrival at NAIA as she was whisked by officials to the CIW.
“Hindi man lang kami pinayagan na makita at mayakap siya sa pag uwi niya. Sana huwag ng patagalin pa ang pagdurusa ng aking nanay, ng aming pamilya (We were not even given the opportunity to see and hug her. I hope her suffering, and the suffering of our family will not last any longer),” Mark Darren Candelaria, 16, the youngest son of Mary Jane, told reporters.
Darren was less than two years old when her mother was arrested in Indonesia.
Veloso’s other son, Mark Daniel, was also there to welcome his mother.
Mary Jane’s mother, Celia, expressed a similar sentiment, saying it pained them not to see Mary Jane upon her arrival.
But if the Velosos failed to see and hug her at NAIA, they finally got to reunite with Mary Jane at the CIW facility.
The convoy bringing Veloso to the CIW arrived at past 7 a.m.
Hugs, tears and laughter punctuated the reunion, with Mary Jane tightly embracing her mother and father, who is in a wheelchair.
Shortly after entering the CIW, Veloso’s sons turned emotional as they tearfully hugged their mother.
Veloso was also given a bouquet of roses by Catapang and Justice Assistant Secretary Jose Dominic Clavano.
A large number of supporters from Migrante, carrying placards and banners, gathered outside the CIW facility to welcome Veloso through their so-called “People’s Salubong.”
After welcoming Veloso, they held a program ty to press their call for clemency.
VELOSO WELCOMED
Speaker Martin Romualdez said, “Today, we open our hearts and arms as we welcome back Mary Jane Veloso to the Philippines. After enduring a harrowing 14 years in an Indonesian prison, her return is a profound relief and a source of immense joy, not only to her family but to all Filipinos who have followed her ordeal with heavy hearts.”
Rep. France Castro (PL, ACT) said Veloso’s return, while welcome, “is incomplete justice.”
“She remains effectively a prisoner despite being a verified victim of human trafficking. Real justice means her complete freedom and the opportunity for a dignified life here in our country,” she said.
Rep. Arlene Brosas (PL, Gabriela) called for the immediate and full clemency for Veloso, saying she “is a victim, not a criminal.” “She is a victim of human trafficking and the government’s labor export policy that continues to push our women to work abroad despite the risks,” she said.
Migrante called Veloso as a “living hero” for all human trafficking victims for the determination, hope, and bravery she showed.
The Episcopal Commission on Migrants and Itinerant People (ECMI) of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines said Veloso’s return is cause for celebration.
“Our celebration is even more joyous with Mary Jane Veloso’s return to the Philippines. Her journey, marked by trials and unwavering faith, symbolizes hope and the power of prayer, community strength, and family love,” said Bishop Ruperto Santos. ECMI vice chairman, in a statement. – With Wendell Vigilia, Gerard Naval, and Osias Osorio
