President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. said the Indonesian government has asked Philippine officials to refrain from making public statements about the case of Mary Jane Veloso, a Filipina currently on death row in Indonesia for drug trafficking.
“We were asked by the Indonesian government not to make any announcements until everything is settled. So, let’s respect that request,” he told reporters at the inauguration of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) Candaba Viaduct 3 in Pulilan, Bulacan on Tuesday.
Mr. Marcos made the remarks when asked whether Veloso, who has been on death row for 14 years on a drug trafficking conviction, could return home before Christmas.
On Friday last week, Indonesia and the Philippines formally agreed on the transfer of Veloso following a high-level meeting held in Jakarta between the Minister for Human Rights Corrections and Immigration and a senior official of the Department of Justice..
Jakarta has said it would respect any decision made by the Philippines after Veloso returns home, including if she is given clemency.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) formally sought clemency for Veloso on Sept. 6, 2022.
She was arrested in Yogyakarta in 2010 after Indonesian authorities found over 2.6 kilograms of heroin in her luggage.
The case has drawn significant international attention, with Veloso maintaining her innocence, claiming she was duped into transporting the drugs by a human trafficking syndicate.
Mr. Marcos previously said that Veloso was set to return home, citing the cooperation between the Philippine and Indonesian governments.
“Mary Jane’s case has been a long and difficult journey,” the President said in a statement.
“After over a decade of diplomacy and consultations with the Indonesian government, we managed to delay her execution long enough to reach an agreement to finally bring her back to the Philippines,” he added.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline “Indonesia asks for ‘silence’ on Veloso case—Marcos.”