Indonesia Respects Philippines’ Decision to Pardon Mary Jane
Indonesia Acknowledges Philippine Clemency for Mary Jane Veloso
Kabarsaji.com – Indonesia has expressed respect for the Philippines’ decision to grant absolute clemency to Mary Jane Veloso, the Indonesian death-row prisoner who was transferred to her home country in late 2024 after more than a decade in Indonesian custody.
Coordinating Minister for Legal, Human Rights, Immigration, and Correction Yusril Ihza Mahendra said the decision falls within the authority assumed by the Philippine government under the arrangement governing Veloso’s transfer. Responsibility for handling her case was fully placed under Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. once the transfer took effect.
“The Indonesian government is already aware of the matter, and it has also been widely reported by the mass media,” Yusril said on Saturday.
Veloso, a Philippine citizen, was convicted in Indonesia for smuggling 2.6 kilograms of heroin. She was arrested at Adisutjipto Airport in Yogyakarta in April 2010 and received a death sentence from the Sleman District Court in October of that year.
Her case remained one of the most closely watched death-penalty matters involving a foreign national in Indonesia. In December 2024, she was moved to the Philippines to continue serving her sentence there, under a bilateral practical arrangement negotiated by the two governments.
Transfer Placed Sentence Administration in Philippine Hands
Veloso was formally handed over to the Philippine Bureau of Corrections on December 18, 2024. She was then placed at the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong, Manila.
On September 25, 2026, President Marcos confirmed that he had signed an absolute pardon for Veloso. Indonesia’s response reflects the understanding established when both countries agreed to her repatriation: the Philippine government would take responsibility for the way her sentence was carried out after the transfer.
Yusril explained that the arrangement is reciprocal. If an Indonesian prisoner serving a sentence in the Philippines were later repatriated to Indonesia, the Indonesian government would take responsibility for that person’s rehabilitation and sentence administration.
That principle would also give the Indonesian president authority to consider clemency in a comparable case. For example, if an Indonesian national transferred from the Philippines had been sentenced to life imprisonment, the Indonesian president could issue clemency that enabled the prisoner’s release.
The reciprocal framework is significant because it defines which state has authority after a prisoner has been transferred. Indonesia imposed the original conviction and sentence in Veloso’s case, but the practical arrangement shifted responsibility for her post-transfer treatment to the Philippines.
Four Core Terms of the Practical Arrangement
The bilateral agreement was signed on December 6, 2024, by Yusril and Raul Vasquez, the Philippine undersecretary for legal services and legislative liaison. It was designed as a practical mechanism for Veloso’s return while preserving the legal sovereignty of both countries.
Its first major provision requires respect for the rule of law. The arrangement does not erase the fact that Veloso was convicted and sentenced by an Indonesian court; instead, it establishes how the sentence would be administered after she returned to the Philippines.
The second provision concerns continued service of the sentence. Following the transfer, Veloso was to serve her punishment under Philippine law. This term is central to the current clemency decision, as it recognizes that Philippine legal authorities would oversee her confinement and any decisions permitted under their legal system.
The third provision bars Veloso from re-entering Indonesia. Her transfer therefore did not create a route for her to return to Indonesian territory after serving her sentence or receiving clemency.
The fourth provision addresses access to information. The Philippine government committed to keeping Indonesia informed about the implementation of Veloso’s sentence after her transfer. That obligation supports continued communication between the two states while allowing the Philippines to manage the case under its own legal authority.
A Diplomatic and Legal Framework
The agreement surrounding Veloso’s repatriation was presented as an expression of diplomacy, international cooperation, and mutual recognition of national legal systems. It offered a way to address a sensitive cross-border case without setting aside Indonesia’s original judicial process or the Philippines’ authority over a citizen returned to its jurisdiction.
For readers following the case, the distinction between repatriation and acquittal is important. Veloso’s return to the Philippines did not overturn her Indonesian conviction. The later absolute pardon was a decision made within the Philippine side of the transfer arrangement, after responsibility for administering her sentence had moved there.
Indonesia’s acceptance of the pardon underscores the practical effect of that arrangement. The two governments established a process that allowed Veloso to be transferred, ensured continuing communication about her status, prohibited her return to Indonesia, and recognized the authority of the receiving country to handle the sentence under its laws.
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