MANILA, Philippines — Filipina death row convict Mary Jane Veloso returned to the Philippines Wednesday morning, after more than a decade of imprisonment in Indonesia.
Veloso landed at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 at 5:50 a.m. on a Cebu Pacific flight.
Before her arrival, officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Bureau of Corrections traveled to Jakarta to finalize the prisoner transfer agreement between Manila and Jakarta.
Her family, legal team, and supporters gathered at the airport to greet her. The emotional welcome was marked by a banner celebrating Veloso’s return to her homeland.
Migrante International hailed Veloso’s homecoming as a significant moment for migrants seeking justice for trafficking victims.
“In all her bravery and determination, Mary Jane deserves this long-awaited reunion with her family and homeland after being detained and nearly executed for a crime she did not commit. She is now a hero to many in the fight to end human trafficking,” said Joanna Concepcion, Chairperson of Migrante International.
Veloso was arrested in 2010 after 2.6 kilograms of heroin were discovered in her luggage. She maintained that the bag was given to her by her recruiters.
In 2015, she narrowly escaped execution after her recruiters were apprehended just before her scheduled death sentence.
Reports of her transfer to a Philippine prison surfaced earlier this year, shortly after Indonesia’s new President, Prabowo Subianto, took office.