Philippines pardons drug mule repatriated by Indonesia

Manila, Philippines - President Ferdinand Marcos on Friday pardoned Mary Jane Veloso, a Filipina who had spent nearly 15 years on death row in Indonesia for drug trafficking. Veloso, 40, is anticipated to be released from prison once her pardon takes effect, though the exact timing has not been disclosed. The mother of two was arrested and sentenced to death in 2010 after Indonesian authorities discovered 2.6kg of heroin concealed within her suitcase.

Nine years after narrowly avoiding execution, Jakarta transferred her to Manila in 2024 under a reciprocal arrangement for her repatriation, enabling her to serve the remainder of her sentence in a Philippine prison.

President Marcos announced the pardon during a visit to the northern town of Batac, expressing that he had personally signed the pardon the previous day. His spokesperson had earlier indicated that the president had been contemplating an absolute pardon for Veloso. Veloso's counsel informed her family of the news, with her mother, Celia Veloso, sharing the joyous message with AFP in a phone call from their hometown in northern Philippines.

Veloso's sons expressed their relief and excitement at the prospect of finally being able to reunite with their mother.

The case of Mary Jane Veloso, who had traveled to Indonesia in search of employment as a maid, ignited controversy in the Philippines, where a significant portion of the population seeks better-paying jobs abroad. Veloso and her advocates argue that she was misled by an international drug syndicate. In 2015, Indonesia refrained from executing Veloso after Philippine authorities arrested her suspected recruiter.