Philippine president pardons drug convict Mary Jane Veloso

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said on Friday he had granted a pardon to Mary Jane Veloso, who is serving a prison sentence in the Philippines after receiving a last-minute reprieve from execution by firing squad for drug trafficking in Indonesia in 2015.

"I already signed her pardon," Marcos told reporters.

• Veloso returned to the Philippines in December 2024 following years of negotiations between Manila and Jakarta after spending nearly 15 years in prison in Indonesia.

• Veloso, a mother of two and a former domestic helper, was arrested in Yogyakarta in 2010 after authorities found 2.6 kg (5.7 lb) of heroin concealed in a suitcase.

• She said she was an unwitting drug mule, but she was convicted and sentenced to death in Indonesia.

• Her case drew widespread attention in the Philippines, and prompted years of diplomatic efforts by Manila to secure clemency and eventually her transfer from Indonesia.

• In 2024, Manila and Jakarta agreed to transfer Veloso back to Manila in a deal that included the Philippines respecting the court's sentencing of Veloso and her status as a prisoner.

• Indonesian authorities had said any decision on granting Veloso clemency after her transfer would be up to Marcos.

Reuters

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