Indonesia considering transfer of Mary Jane Veloso to PH prison

MANILA – The Indonesian government is "considering" a request to transfer Mary Jane Veloso to a Philippine prison, according to its Coordinating Ministry for Legal, Human Rights, Immigration, and Correction.

In a release dated Nov. 11, the ministry confirmed that its minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra and Philippine Ambassador to Indonesia Gina Alagon Jamoralin have recently met to discuss the status of Veloso's case.

Yusril said Indonesia "upholds legal sovereignty and is committed to enforcing the criminal sanctions imposed by the courts".

But as part of constructive diplomacy, the ministry is "currently considering the option of 'transfer of prisoner' or prisoner transfer for foreign inmates, including Veloso in line with requests from the inmate's home country".

"This matter has been discussed internally within Kemenko Kumham Imipas (Coordinating Ministry for Legal, Human Rights, Immigration, and Correction) and has also been brought to the attention of President Prabowo (Subianto)," Yusril said.

"We are formulating a policy to resolve the issue of foreign prisoners in our country, either through bilateral negotiations or by devising a policy related to what is referred to in English as the transfer of prisoner," he added.

If the request is granted, the ministry said Veloso would have to continue to serve her remaining sentence in the Philippines, "subject to the conditions determined by the Indonesian court's ruling".

It noted that once the inmate is transferred to her home country, her rehabilitation as well as decisions on whether to grant remission or clemency would all be "handed over to the respective country".

"Indonesia respects the request from the Philippine government to consider the transfer of Mary Jane Veloso in the interest of law enforcement in the Philippines. However, the Philippine Government is obligated to acknowledge and respect the legal process regarding Mary Jane, including the verdict issued by the Indonesian court," Yusril said.

The ministry said this policy would serve as part of a "reciprocal cooperation" between Manila and Jakarta's effort to strengthen international law enforcement.

The Department of Foreign Affairs, meanwhile, has yet to comment as of this posting.

Veloso, who has been on Indonesia's death row, was arrested in 2010 after Indonesian authorities found 2.6 kilograms of heroin in her suitcase.

She was given a last-minute reprieve in April 2015 when the Philippine government informed Indonesia that her recruiters had surrendered. (PNA)