MANILA, Nov 20, 2024 (AFP) - A Filipina sentenced to death in Indonesia on drug charges will be handed over to the Philippines following years of negotiations, President Ferdinand Marcos said Wednesday, calling it a "long and difficult journey".

Mary Jane Veloso, arrested in 2010 for smuggling heroin into Indonesia, won a last-minute reprieve from a firing squad in 2015 after a woman suspected of recruiting her was arrested in the Philippines.

"After over a decade of diplomacy and consultations with the Indonesian government, we managed to delay her execution long enough to reach an agreement to finally bring her back to the Philippines," Marcos said in a statement.

"This outcome is a reflection of the depth our nation's partnership with Indonesia -- united in a shared commitment to justice and compassion."
Marcos also expressed gratitude to Indonesia and its President Prabowo Subianto.
 
There was no immediate comment from the Indonesian government.
A mother of two, Veloso was arrested in Indonesia while carrying a suitcase lined with 2.6 kilograms (5.7 pounds) of heroin and later sentenced to death.