A woman from the Philippines, who faced nearly 15 years on death row in Indonesia and narrowly avoided execution, has finally returned home. Mary Jane Veloso was sentenced to death in 2010 after authorities discovered she was carrying 2.6 kilograms (5.7 pounds) of heroin at an Indonesian airport.
The 39-year-old mother of two has consistently claimed she was duped into smuggling the drugs. She arrived back in Manila on Wednesday following an agreement between the Philippine and Indonesian governments that facilitated her return.
“This is a new life for me, and I will have a new beginning in the Philippines,” Veloso stated at a news conference, expressing her wish to spend Christmas with her family. “I have to go home because I have a family there; I have my children waiting for me.”
Although her return comes as a prisoner, there is potential for clemency from Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos. Veloso is currently detained at the main women’s prison in Metro Manila.
Her ordeal began in April 2010 when she was arrested at Yogyakarta airport. Veloso reported that she was persuaded by the daughter of one of her godparents to travel to Indonesia for work as a maid. She alleged that this woman’s male acquaintances provided her with new clothes and a bag that unbeknownst to her contained the concealed heroin.
Scheduled for execution by firing squad in 2015, she was granted a last-minute reprieve by then-President Benigno Aquino III after the woman believed to be her recruiter was apprehended and charged with human trafficking, resulting in Veloso serving as a key witness in that trial. Her reprieve was so sudden that major news outlets in the Philippines had already prepared reports announcing her execution.
Veloso’s case resonated widely within the Philippines, a country that does not impose the death penalty. Her story reflects the harsh realities faced by many Filipinas who seek work overseas as domestic helpers to escape poverty.
As she left prison for the airport, Veloso remarked on the personal belongings she carried with her, including gifts from friends. Her release comes shortly after the return of the remaining members of the notorious “Bali Nine” drug ring, who have served nearly two decades in Indonesian prisons.
