Manila, Philippines – After more than fifteen years of imprisonment and facing the prospect of execution on death row in Indonesia, Mary Jane Veloso—the Filipina arrested and jailed in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, in 2010 after 2.6 kilograms of heroin were found in her luggage—is finally set to be released.
In an interview, Marcos addressed questions regarding the granting of a pardon or the full release of Veloso.
Malacañang Palace had previously announced that President Marcos was serious about granting a pardon to Veloso.
Migrante International acknowledged Marcos’s statement regarding the granting of an absolute pardon to Veloso on humanitarian grounds.
Meanwhile, the Gabriela Women’s Party described the President’s granting of an absolute pardon as a victory for the people—a triumph for a Filipino who had ceaselessly fought for justice and freedom over the past fifteen years.
For over fifteen years, Veloso maintained that she was merely a victim of human trafficking and deception by her recruiters.
She was spared from execution in 2015 after the government appealed to have her serve as a witness against her alleged recruiters. Following negotiations between the Philippines and Indonesia, Veloso was transferred to the country to serve the remainder of her sentence under Philippine jurisdiction; she was temporarily held at the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong City as of December 2024.
This May, Veloso’s lawyer, along with her parents, filed a motion to resolve with the Supreme Court to expedite the proceedings on the writ of habeas corpus originally filed in November 2025.—Alvin Pelobello, Eurotv News