Key facts
- President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. granted a pardon to Mary Jane Veloso on September 25.
- Veloso was convicted of drug trafficking in Indonesia in 2015.
- She maintained her innocence, claiming she was an unwitting drug mule.
- Veloso spent nearly 15 years in Indonesian prison before being repatriated to the Philippines in December 2024.
- She was arrested in 2010 with 2.6 kg of heroin concealed in a suitcase.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced on September 25 that he has granted a pardon to Mary Jane Veloso, a drug trafficking convict who spent nearly 15 years in Indonesian prison. Veloso was repatriated to the Philippines in December 2024 after receiving a last-minute reprieve from execution in 2015.
Veloso, a mother of two and former domestic helper, was arrested in Yogyakarta in 2010 with 2.6 kg of heroin concealed in a suitcase. She maintained her innocence, claiming she was an unwitting drug mule, but was convicted and sentenced to death.
Her case garnered significant attention in the Philippines, leading to years of diplomatic efforts by Manila to secure her clemency and eventual transfer from Indonesia. In 2024, an agreement was reached between Manila and Jakarta for Veloso's transfer, with the Philippines respecting her conviction and prisoner status. Indonesian authorities had indicated that any decision on clemency after her return would be at the discretion of the Philippine president.