Mother of Mary Jane Veloso fears for her safety in the Philippines
MANILA, Philippines — The mother of Mary Jane Veloso, who has been on death row in Indonesia since 2010, has expressed serious concerns over her daughter's possible transfer to a Philippine prison, citing fears of retaliation from an "international syndicate."
Celia Veloso shared this during an interview with TeleRadyo Serbisyo on Wednesday, November 20, the same day that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced that the Indonesian government had approved Veloso's transfer to a Philippine jail.
The death row inmate's mother said she would prefer her daughter to remain incarcerated in Indonesia, where she feels she would be safer and better treated.
"For me, for us as a family, if Mary Jane will just be imprisoned here, we'd rather have her detained in Indonesia. We feel more secured there, and we can see how well they treat her," Celia said in mixed Filipino and English.
"But here in the Philippines, we cannot be certain because we're up against an international syndicate," she added.
Her fears stem from past threats and harassment their family has endured, she said.
Celia recounted incidents in the past where armed individuals entered their home, forcing them to seek the help of law enforcement authorities and Migrante International, a migrants' rights organization.
"We were placed under NBI and police protection. Migrante had to hide us in Manila - Mary Jane's husband, children and us," she said.
Department of Justice (DOJ) spokesperson Mico Clavano on Wednesday highlighted the measures the government would take to ensure Veloso's safety. He said the facilities at the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong City — one of the government's options for Veloso's detention center — are "kept very safe and secure."
"Obviously, she's a high-profile detainee if ever she gets back to the Philippines. She can be assured by the DOJ and the Bureau of Corrections that she will be secure and safe in the facilities," he said.
The family recently learned through Migrante that they would be allowed to visit Mary Jane from December 15 to 19. Exact details of her return to the Philippines have yet to be publicized.
In a video by the state-run Philippine News Agency, Celia Veloso said she was thankful for those who helped campaign to bring Veloso home after 14 years, including President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Veloso's children are overjoyed by the news, Celia said.
"Sa wakas, ika nga ng bunso at panganay [ni Veloso], may mag-aalaga na sa aming magulang (Finally, the youngest and the eldest child of Veloso said, we have a parent to take care of us)," Celia said.
While talks of her return have sparked hope among Veloso's family and her lawyers, no formal agreement has been sealed with Indonesian authorities for her transfer.
Former Justice Secretary and current Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra said clemency for Veloso has not been ruled out.
“So only the president of Indonesia can grant her executive clemency as an act of sovereign grace,” Guevarra told Philstar.com.
“Theoretically, PBBM cannot, but it is not impossible if such grant of executive clemency be agreed upon by the two heads of state,” he added.
Veloso was arrested in Indonesia in April 2010 for drug trafficking. She was found with 2.6 kilograms of heroin hidden in her suitcase, which she said was planted there by the recruiters who duped her with promises of a job in Indonesia.
Veloso's case has prompted human rights groups to demand stronger protections for Filipino migrant workers, saying Veloso is one of many who have become victims of trafficking.
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