Mary Jane Veloso Freed After 16 Years on Drug Trafficking Conviction

MANILA, Philippines — Sixteen years after her imprisonment and suspended execution in Indonesia, and two years after her transfer to a Philippine jail, drug trafficking convict Mary Jane Veloso received absolute pardon from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and regained her freedom Friday night. Veloso’s family and supporters had been pushing for her release since her arrest in Indonesia in 2010 for drug trafficking. She was sentenced to death but her execution was suspended just before it was to be carried out, with a pardon being considered. In 2021, Veloso was transferred to a jail in the Philippines, a move that her supporters hoped would pave the way for her eventual freedom. Her case has drawn international attention, with many human rights groups calling for her release, citing humanitarian grounds and the potential for wrongful conviction. The pardon granted by President Marcos Jr. is seen as a significant development in Veloso’s long struggle for freedom.