PRESIDENT MARCOS GRANTS MARY JANE VELOSO ABSOLUTE PARDON

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has granted an absolute pardon to former overseas Filipino worker Mary Jane Veloso who was convicted of drug trafficking in Indonesia.

“Pinirmahan ko na ‘yung pardon niya kahapon,” President Marcos said in an interview with the media during his engagement in Guiuan, Eastern Samar.

Veloso was detained in Indonesia for more than a decade after being convicted of drug trafficking before being transferred to the Correctional Institution for Women (CIW) in Mandaluyong following the Philippine government’s efforts, led by President Marcos, to secure her return.

During the 42nd ASEAN Summit in Indonesia in May 2023, President Marcos said the Philippine government had consistently appealed to Indonesia for Veloso’s pardon, commutation of her sentence, and eventual transfer to the Philippines so she could serve her sentence here.

In November 2024, President Marcos announced that an agreement had been reached with Indonesia to bring Veloso home.

The same month, Indonesia formally reduced her sentence from death to life imprisonment.

President Marcos said securing Veloso’s removal from death row and the commutation of her sentence to life imprisonment had been an initial goal of his administration.

The President thanked Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and the Indonesian government for their goodwill.

Veloso was officially handed over to the Bureau of Corrections on December 18, 2024.