Mary Jane Veloso to undergo 5-day quarantine upon return
MANILA, Philippines — Mary Jane Veloso will undergo a five-day quarantine upon her return to the country from Indonesia, the Bureau of Corrections said on Tuesday, December 17.
In a statement, the bureau explained the quarantine is part of the protocol for newly committed persons deprived of liberty at the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong City.
During the five-day quarantine, the bureau said Veloso will stay in a designated isolation area for medical observation.
“During the 5-day quarantine, Veloso shall be placed in a regular Quarantine Cell for medical observation, during which a medical and physical examination shall be given to determine any handicap, physical or mental illness,” the bureau’s statement read.
Veloso will also meet with the corrections supervisor to complete her registration process and provide contact information for family members or authorized visitors.
After the quarantine on December 24, Veloso’s family can already visit her.
On December 16, Indonesian authorities announced that Veloso would be returning to the Philippines on December 18 where she would continue to serve her sentence which means that Indonesia has relinquished its legal and physical custody of Veloso.
This means the Philippine government can grant Veloso executive clemency, a power the Constitution grants to the president.
Compassion
In a statement, Veloso’s lawyer, Edre Olalia, said they will continue to appeal for Veloso’s family to meet her at the airport instead of at the correctional facility.
“We will continue to appeal to their good hearts -- consistent with Filipino culture, tradition & sensitivity and in the spirit of the season - to allow the family to meet her at the airport even privately for a short immediate reunion and quick hug at least,” Olalia said.
“The Indonesians have treated her very well & compassionately…We can do no less,” he added.
Veloso was arrested in 2010 on drug trafficking charges, as she was caught carrying a suitcase containing 2.6 kilograms of heroin.
She was convicted and was sentenced to death, until a last-minute reprieve granted by the Indonesian government in 2015 following an appeal from late President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III. — with reports from Cristina Chi
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