By Ananda Teresia
JAKARTA (Reuters) -Indonesia and the Philippines signed an agreement on Friday on the repatriation of a Philippine woman who was sentenced to death for drug trafficking, an Indonesian government minister said.
Indonesia’s senior minister for law and human rights affairs Yusril Ihza Mahendra and Philippines Justice Undersecretary Raul Vasquez signed the agreement for the repatriation of Mary Jane Veloso in Jakarta on Friday.
“As instructed by President Prabowo (Subianto), if possible, we could resolve this case before Christmas,” Yusril said, adding that Veloso could be transferred before Christmas, likely around December 20.
Indonesia last month agreed to repatriate Veloso, a domestic helper and mother of two, who was arrested in Yogyakarta in 2010 after being found with 2.6 kg of heroin concealed in a suitcase. She received a last-minute reprieve from execution in 2015.
Yusril said the Philippines agreed on several terms proposed by Indonesia, including respecting the Indonesian court’s sentencing of Veloso and her status as prisoner in Indonesia.
Indonesia would respect any decision made by the Philippines, including if she was given clemency.
She will be banned from returning to Indonesia, Yusril added.
Indonesia also said that the agreement was “reciprocal”.
“If one day Indonesia asks for its citizens jailed in the Philippines to be returned, they must consider it,” Yusril said.
Vasquez said that Veloso would serve her remaining sentence in the Philippines.
“Once the custody is being transferred, she will subjected to rules and regulations of the Philippines authority,” he said, adding that any decision on giving Veloso clemency would depend on Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Yusril said that Philippines had told Indonesia that it would change Veloso’s death sentence to life imprisonment.
Veloso was spared from execution after Philippine officials asked Joko Widodo, then Indonesia’s president, to let her testify against members of a human and drug smuggling ring.
She had always maintained her innocence, saying she was an unwitting drug mule for a Philippine employment recruiter.
(Reporting by Ananda Teresia; Editing by John Mair and Raju Gopalakrishnan)
