Mary Jane Veloso was back in Manila on Wednesday morning, Dec. 18, shortly before the sunrise that for her could symbolically mean a new beginning in a life fraught with misfortunes.
Veloso, aboard a Cebu Pacific flight, arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) around 5:40 a.m., signaling that she, who had been on death row since 2015, could surely live the life she would have nearly lost from a firing squad.
At the airport, Veloso's two sons, who were bringing flowers, as well as her other loved ones waited for her.
"Welcome home, Mary Jane!" a message on a long, huge tarpaulin being carried by her family members read.
Her return to the Philippines from Indonesia was "a significant achievement for the bilateral relations" between the two countries and "a mark of the trust and friendship between our two nations," said Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Enrique Manalo.
It is also "a win for diplomacy," according to DFA Undersecretary Eduardo Jose de Vega.
Veloso left Jakarta at around 12:53 a.m. along with De Vega and officials from the National Bureau of Immigration (NBI) and the Bureau of Immigration (BI).
Before her flight, the Indonesian government formally turned over the legal custody for Veloso to the Philippine government in a signing ceremony widely-anticipated in the Philippines.
The signing of the documents for her turnover—and last week's signing of the transfer of prison agreement—between the Philippine and Indonesian governments ended the 14-year uncertainty that Veloso faced since she was duped to carry a luggage with 2.6 kilos of heroin inside that led to her drug conviction and death sentence.
Veloso was thankful to President Marcos and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto for the efforts undertaken by their respective governments to make her return to the country possible.
In a short press conference, where she answered several questions both in Filipino and in Bahasa Indonesia, Veloso wished that she be finally granted an executive clemency—a decision that the Indonesian government already let the Philippine government make.
"Sana mapalaya ako... kasi wala akong kasalanan (I hope that I be freed because I am innocent)," she said in an interview with GMA News.
Although that was also the hope of the Philippine government when Veloso was still in Jakarta, Malacañang said it was still "premature to speculate" what the government would do.
Meanwhile, De Vega said that the Philippines would comply with the "practical arrangement" that it has with Indonesia concerning Veloso's case as "the Philippines is known to be championing the rule of law."
That means that Veloso would remain in prison, which will be at the Correctional Institute for Women in Mandaluyong City, for her drug conviction amid calls from her parents to set her free.
PH grateful to Indonesia
In a statement, the DFA said it would like to take the opportunity to extend its gratitude to the Indonesian government and to those who extended assistance for taking care of the welfare of Veloso.
DFA attributed Veloso’s imminent transfer to the Philippines' "strong friendship and cooperation with the Indonesian government."
Manalo, in a separate statement, thanked the Indonesian government "for its sincere and decisive action which allowed Mary Jane Veloso to be home before Christmas."
Their generosity has made "this momentous day of Ms. Veloso’s return to the Philippines, possible," according to the DFA chief.
"We thank the Department of Justice (DOJ) which worked closely with the DFA and with our then Philippine Ambassador to Indonesia, Miss Gina Jamoralin, and her team, during the planning stage of Mary Jane’s repatriation," Manalo said.
"We thank President Marcos for his approval of our recommendations and steadfast guidance for the welfare of Ms. Veloso," he added.
DFA then assured Filipinos that Veloso’s safety and welfare was "paramount."
"Our agencies in the justice and law enforcement sector shall continue to ensure it, as our Indonesian counterparts have safeguarded it for so long," it added.
A 'balikbayan'
Edre Olalia, chairperson of the National Union of People’s Lawyers (NUPL) that is representing her, welcomed Veloso as she was back in the country.
Olalia said that for them, Veloso was a “balikbayan who deserves the warm welcome of everyone.”
He also described Veloso’s journey as a “long” one, but “a clement time is on the horizon at dawn’s breaking.”
“And your coming back home means all the prayers, campaigns, vigils, pleadings, negotiations, and the sweat and tears have formed into a cocoon that in time will metamorphose to fly you to full freedom that you have longed for and deserve,” Olalia said.