Indonesia Respects Philippines' Decision to Pardon Mary Jane
Coordinating Minister Yusril Ihza said the Indonesian government respects the Philippines' decision to grant absolute clemency to Mary Jane Veloso.
On September 25, 2026, Philippine President Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos Jr. announced a full pardon for Mary Jane Veloso, a woman serving a death sentence in Indonesia for drug smuggling. Yusril Ihza Mahendra, Indonesia's coordinating minister for legal, human rights, immigration, and correction, stated that the Indonesian government respects the Philippine decision out of respect for an agreement between the two nations.
Under this agreement, the responsibility for Mary Jane's rehabilitation is now entirely in the hands of the Philippine government. Veloso's case originated from her arrest at Adisutjipto Airport in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, in April 2010, where she was found with 2.6 kilograms of heroin. She was sentenced to death by the Sleman District Court in October 2010.
Indonesia then transferred her to the Philippines in December 2024 to serve her sentence in their country. The agreement formalized on December 6, 2024, includes provisions for respecting the rule of law, serving the sentence, preventing repatriation to Indonesia, and providing information access.
Written by urgent.news from Tempo.co English's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
