Veloso clemency far off, up to legal experts – Marcos

MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos is leaving it up to legal experts to determine if Mary Jane Veloso – the Filipina worker who returned to the Philippines last Wednesday after being on death row in Indonesia for 14 years for drug trafficking – can be given clemency.

In a media interview at the Villamor Air Base yesterday, Marcos said the prospect of clemency for Veloso is still at a “very preliminary stage.”

“We are still far from that. We still have to have a look at what (her status really) is. And then of course, we’re aware of the request for clemency from her representative and of course her family,” the President said.

“We will leave it to the legal judgment, the judgment of our legal experts to determine whether the provision of clemency is appropriate... Indonesia did not set conditions so it’s really up to us,” he added.

In 2010, Veloso was apprehended at the Yogyakarta airport after 2.6 kilos of heroin were found in her baggage. She denied being part of a narcotics syndicate and claimed she was not aware that there were illegal drugs in her suitcase. According to her, someone had tricked her into bringing the heroin to Indonesia from Malaysia while she was looking for work.

An Indonesian court sentenced Veloso to death in the same year. The Filipina worker was supposed to be executed by firing squad in April 2015 but was given a temporary reprieve after her recruiter had surrendered to Filipino authorities. The Marcos administration asked Indonesia to grant Veloso clemency in 2022.

Last month, Marcos announced that Indonesia had lowered Veloso’s death sentence to life imprisonment, a development he attributed to the “good relations” between Manila and Jakarta.

Veloso returned to the Philippines on Wednesday morning with government officials and was taken to the Correctional Institution for Women (CIW) in Mandaluyong City. She then urged Marcos to grant her clemency.

With her transfer to the Philippines, Veloso’s sentence has been lowered to life imprisonment since there is no capital punishment in the country.

If Marcos decides to grant Veloso clemency, the Philippines no longer needs to seek permission from Indonesia since no condition was set for her repatriation.

GCTA eligibility

Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) has announced that it will form a board to evaluate whether Veloso qualifies for Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA).

The board will review Veloso’s records, which were provided by Indonesian authorities. It will also determine if the 15 years she spent incarcerated in Indonesia can be credited to GCTA, which could potentially reduce her sentence.

“In due time, we will be able to know if Mary Jane is qualified for GCTA and if there’s GCTA, has she served the minimum so that will entitle her to parole at our level, we can recommend that,” BuCor Director General Gregorio Catapang confirmed on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Justice Undersecretary Raul Vasquez said Veloso is now subject to the laws and regulations of Philippine jurisdiction, just like any other persons deprived of liberty as referenced by a recent Supreme Court ruling which extended GCTA eligibility to those convicted of heinous crimes, recidivists and escapees.

“The moment Mary Jane Veloso was transferred to the Philippines, she would be subjected just like any person deprived of liberty to all the privileges, rights, and prerogatives granted to a person deprived of liberty,” Vasquez explained.

Vasquez also mentioned that among the privileges of the GCTA is good conduct during the imprisonment period. Eligibility, including the conditions she faced in Indonesia, would factor in her behavior during incarceration, and any favorable circumstances.

Meanwhile, discussions surrounding an absolute pardon for Veloso continue, with calls for President Marcos to grant her clemency.

Vasquez noted that the decision on granting such a pardon remains solely at the President’s discretion. “Anything is on the table,” he said when asked about the possibility of clemency or parole.

For now, Veloso will undergo a 60-day quarantine, evaluation, and initial security classification at the CIW. After this, she will be transferred to the facility’s maximum-security camp.

Meanwhile,thousands of people have so far signed the online petition urging President Marcos to pardon Veloso.

As of yesterday afternoon, the petition on change.org has gathered 3,293 signatures, which pleaded with Marcos to show compassion by granting Veloso clemency based on humanitarian grounds as she is a victim of human trafficking.

While Veloso remains in detention, police have started security preparations for her possible homecoming, should she be given clemency and decide to return to Cabanatuan City in Nueva Ecija, the place where she grew up. — Emmanuel Tupas