Key facts
- Mary Jane Veloso, a Filipino trafficking victim, was released after 16 years in detention.
- Veloso maintained her innocence and claimed to be a victim of a deceptive recruiter.
- Her case highlights systemic failures in the Philippines regarding the protection of overseas workers.
- Veloso was granted an absolute pardon by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Migrant rights advocates have celebrated the release of Filipino trafficking victim Mary Jane Veloso after 16 years in detention, but caution that her case underscores the persistent dangers faced by vulnerable Philippine workers overseas. Veloso, who had narrowly escaped execution years prior in Indonesia, was freed on Friday night from the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong City, thanks to an absolute pardon from Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Veloso, who has been imprisoned in Indonesia since 2010 for drug smuggling, has consistently maintained her innocence, asserting she was set up by her recruiter, Maria Kristina Sergio, in Malaysia. Sergio allegedly instructed Veloso to travel to Indonesia, where she was apprehended with drugs concealed in her bag.
Her situation has been compared to other high-profile cases of Filipinas executed abroad for drug offenses, such as Flor Contemplacion in Singapore nearly 20 years ago and an unnamed Filipina in China in 2013. Advocates criticize the Philippine government for perceived delayed responses and insufficient support for citizens facing severe legal challenges overseas, noting that the P50 million allocated for legal assistance for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) reportedly remains unused while funding for OFW assistance has been cut since 2010.