JAKARTA (Reuters) – A woman from the Philippines who was sentenced to death for drug trafficking in Indonesia said on Tuesday she was ready to begin a new life as she prepared to fly home after the two countries reached a deal for her repatriation.
Mary Jane Veloso, who received a last-minute reprieve from execution by firing squad in 2015, was due to depart Indonesia in the early hours of Wednesday on a flight to Manila after years of negotiations between the Southeast Asian neighbours.
In tears, Veloso thanked God as well as Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. that she was finally able to return home.
“This is my new life which I’ll start again in the Philippines,” Veloso, 39, told reporters at Jakarta’s main airport shortly ahead of her scheduled departure, speaking in Bahasa, the main language of Indonesia.
“I have been in Indonesia for almost 15 years, I was not able to speak Indonesian back then but now I can… I am so happy today but also sad,” she said.
At the end of her statement, Veloso sang some parts of Indonesia’s national anthem and made a heart shape with her hands before saying goodbye.
The former domestic helper and mother of two was arrested in the city of Yogyakarta in 2010 after being found with 2.6 kg (5.73 lb) of heroin concealed in a suitcase. She said she was an unwitting drug mule, but she was convicted and sentenced to death.
At the airport, representatives from Indonesia and the Philippines governments signed a document transfer to mark the official handover.
Veloso’s case caused an outcry in the Philippines. She was spared execution in 2015 at the last moment after Philippine officials asked Joko Widodo, then Indonesia’s president, to let her testify against members of a human- and drug-smuggling ring.
The two governments signed an agreement for Veloso’s transfer earlier this month, including that Manila respect the court’s sentencing of Veloso and her status as a prisoner in Indonesia.
The Philippines said Veloso would serve her remaining sentence in her home country, with any decision on clemency dependent on Marcos.
Indonesia said it would respect any decision made by the Philippines, including if Veloso was given clemency.
Jakarta said Veloso will be banned from entering Indonesia again.
On Sunday, the five remaining members of the “Bali Nine” drug ring were repatriated to Australia from Indonesia.
(Reporting by Ananda Teresia and Stefanno Sulaiman, Editing by Hugh Lawson)
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