Absolute Pardon for Mary Jane Veloso Seriously Considered by OP, Says Solon

The Office of the President (OP) is seriously considering granting an absolute pardon to Mary Jane Veloso, who has been detained for over a decade for alleged drug trafficking, according to Bataan Rep. Albert Garcia. Garcia made the statement during the sponsorship and plenary deliberations for the OP's proposed budget for next year. Veloso was arrested in Indonesia in 2010 on drug trafficking charges and was sentenced to death. However, her execution has been stayed due to insufficient evidence that she was a "mule" for a drug syndicate in Indonesia, and the arrest of the person allegedly who hired her in the Philippines. The case has drawn attention not only in the Philippines but also from the international community, with human rights groups and the Philippine government calling for Veloso's pardon. Garcia's statement could bring a new development to this long-standing issue. In the Philippines, the support for citizens involved in crimes abroad and the protection of human rights in judicial proceedings are constant challenges. Many citizens are imprisoned abroad for drug-related offenses, and their support is one of the government's important diplomatic tasks.