Yusril: Philippines Will Turn Mary Jane's Death Penalty To Life

The Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration and Corrections Yusril Ihza Mahendra together with Deputy Minister of Justice of the Philippines Raul Vazquez/Akbar Nugroho Gumay/rwa.

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration, and Correction Yusril Ihza Mahendra said the Philippine Government would change Mary Jane Veloso's sentence status after being transferred to her home country, from the death penalty to life.

"The Philippine government has given us a notification that Mary Jane will change her sentence from the death penalty to the life sentence because the Philippines itself has not implemented the death penalty in her country," Yusril said as quoted by ANTARA, Friday, December 6.

However, Yusril said that the change in Mary Jane's sentence was under the authority of Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. Indonesia will also respect the decision of the Philippines, including if Mary Jane is later given a pardon.

"So even if Mary Jane is forgiven later, she will be forgiven by the President of the Philippines, not forgiven by the President of Indonesia because we consistently will never forgive severe narcotics cases like this," he said.

The Indonesian government and the Philippine government have agreed to transfer Mary Jane, as signed by the practical agreement by Yusril and Deputy Minister of Justice of the Philippines Raul T. Vasquez in Jakarta.

After the signing, Raul explained that the Philippines respects the decision of the Indonesian court which sentenced Mary Jane to death. However, Mary Jane will serve her sentence in accordance with the laws and regulations in the Philippines if she is transferred.

Meanwhile, the Philippines is one of the countries that does not regulate the death penalty, so it is against the sentence imposed by Indonesia. Therefore, according to Raul, the Philippine Government will continue to coordinate with Indonesia regarding the development of Mary Jane.

Jane will comply with Philippine rules and regulations. However, it will go against the decisions that have been made and determined by the Indonesian judicial authorities. We respect and respect the decision," he said.

The transfer of Mary Jane to the Philippines is planned before Christmas 2024. The Coordinating Ministry for Law, Human Rights, Immigration and Corrections is coordinating the technical transfer with the Attorney General's Office, Police, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

"We will also ask the Philippine Government to prepare an SPLP ( Passport Travel Letter), a kind of passport for Mary Jane to fulfill administrative procedures in our immigration before leaving Jakarta airport later," said Yusril.