Bali Nine drug mule released from jail after being spared death row

Mary Jane Veloso, a woman imprisoned for nearly 15 years in Indonesia, has been released from jail following a presidential pardon. Veloso was part of the Bali Nine drug trafficking gang, which included Australians Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran. She was convicted of carrying 2.6 kilograms of heroin in her suitcase and was scheduled to be executed in April 2015 alongside Chan and Sukumaran.

However, a last-minute reprieve saved her life after Philippine authorities arrested her recruiter, who is accused of convincing her to smuggle the drugs. Veloso was transferred to the Philippines to serve the remainder of her sentence. She expressed gratitude to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr for his decision, stating she was eager to be reunited with her two sons.

The case garnered significant attention in the Philippines, with advocates arguing Veloso was innocent and had been deceived by an international drug network. Her story resonated with many Filipinos, symbolizing the struggles of economic migrants seeking better opportunities abroad. Chan and Sukumaran were executed in 2015, after Indonesia's President Joko Widodo denied them clemency.

Their deaths triggered a diplomatic backlash, including Australia withdrawing its ambassador from Indonesia.