Antara News·Indonesia·Saturday, September 26, 2026 at 10:45 AM

Indonesia respects Philippines' pardon for Mary Jane Veloso: Minister

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Agatha, Kenzu

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Coordinating Minister for Legal, Human Rights, Immigration, and Corrections Yusril Ihza Mahendra said the Indonesian government respects the Philippine government's decision to grant Mary Jane Veloso an absolute pardon.

According to Yusril, under an agreement between the two countries, responsibility for supervising Veloso, who had been sentenced to death in a narcotics smuggling case in Indonesia, had been transferred to Philippine President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.

"The Indonesian government is aware of this, and it has also been widely reported by the media," Mahendra told ANTARA in Jakarta on Saturday.

He said the agreement was reciprocal. If an Indonesian citizen serving a sentence in the Philippines were repatriated to Indonesia, responsibility for supervising that prisoner would likewise be transferred to the Indonesian government.

As such, Yusril said, if an Indonesian citizen serving a life sentence in the Philippines were repatriated to Indonesia, the Indonesian President would likewise have the authority to grant clemency to release the prisoner.

Veloso had been sentenced to death in a case involving the smuggling of 2.6 kilograms of heroin. She was arrested at Adisutjipto Airport in Yogyakarta in April 2010.

The Sleman District Court sentenced Veloso to death in October 2010. The Indonesian government later transferred her to the Philippines in December 2024 to serve her sentence in her home country.

Veloso was officially handed over to the Philippine Bureau of Corrections on December 18, 2024, and placed at the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong, Manila. On September 25, 2026, Marcos confirmed that he had signed an absolute pardon for Veloso.

Veloso's repatriation was part of an agreement between the Indonesian and Philippine governments, formalized through a practical arrangement signed by Yusril and Philippine Department of Justice Undersecretary for Legal and Legislative Liaison Raul T. Vasquez on December 6, 2024.

The agreement affirmed both countries' commitment to diplomatic values, international cooperation, and mutual respect for each other's legal sovereignty.

The practical arrangement contains four key provisions. The first concerns respect for legal sovereignty.

The second concerns the execution of the sentence. After being transferred to the Philippines, Veloso would continue serving her sentence in accordance with Philippine law and procedures.

The third provision prohibits her re-entry into Indonesia, while the fourth concerns access to information. Under the arrangement, the Philippine government committed to providing the Indonesian government with information regarding the execution of Veloso's sentence following her transfer.

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