President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has granted an absolute pardon to Mary Jane Veloso, a former overseas Filipino worker who spent nearly 16 years in detention after being convicted of drug trafficking in Indonesia in 2010. The pardon fully extinguishes her criminal liability.
President Marcos Signs Absolute Pardon on Thursday
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced on Friday, September 25, 2026, that he had signed an absolute pardon for Mary Jane Veloso, clearing the way for her complete freedom. Speaking in a chance interview while visiting Eastern Visayas, Marcos confirmed the decision, stating, Pinirmahan ko na ‘yung pardon niya kahapon, which translates to that he signed her pardon the previous day according to the state news service.
The grant of absolute pardon carries significant legal weight. The Parole and Probation Administration explained that absolute pardon restores an individual’s civil and political rights while canceling the penalty imposed for the specific offense of which they were convicted.
From Indonesian Death Row to Repatriation in Manila
Veloso’s case began in 2010 when she left the Philippines to work abroad and was arrested in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, after airport security discovered 2.6 kilograms of heroin hidden in a suitcase provided by her recruiters. She was subsequently sentenced to death by an Indonesian court.
Throughout her detention, Veloso maintained her innocence, insisting she was an unwitting victim of human trafficking and a drug syndicate that tricked her into carrying the luggage. Her execution was halted at the last minute in 2015 after then-president Benigno Aquino III intervened by calling Indonesian officials to turn her into a state witness following the surrender of her alleged recruiter.
After nearly a decade and a half abroad, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto agreed to transfer Veloso back to the Philippines with the discretion of clemency left to Manila. Veloso arrived home on December 18, 2024, accompanied by her two sons, and was housed at the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong City to serve out the remainder of her legal sentence under Philippine jurisdiction.
Legal Status and Immediate Family Reactions
Because there are no other active legal cases against her in the Philippines, the absolute pardon paves the way for her expected release from the Correctional Institution for Women. Her mother, Celia Veloso, shared the family’s joy when lawyers relayed the news from their northern Philippine hometown, quoting her grandchildren as saying, We will finally be able to be with mama.
Lawyer Edre Olalia from the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers welcomed the announcement with a public statement declaring, FINALLY! See you, Mary Jane! as reported by legal advocates.
Advocacy Groups Demand Accountability for Traffickers
While migrant rights organizations and lawmakers celebrated the clemency as a major milestone, they also raised critical questions about systemic failures. Migrante International described the pardon as a historic victory for the global people’s movement that fought for her freedom through vigils, petitions, and protests over more than a decade.
Government leaders have continually been pushed to take action over the past 11 years through numerous organized rallies, protest events, prayer gatherings, petition drives, lobbying campaigns, forums, and barrages of phone calls, letters, and noise.
At the same time, activists questioned why Veloso remained detained in a Philippine prison for one year and nine months following her December 2024 repatriation when no local charges had been filed against her. Lawmakers like Senator Francis Pangilinan and House Assistant Minority Leader Sarah Elago emphasized that the broader fight against human trafficking syndicates and the economic conditions driving Filipinos to work abroad must continue to protect other vulnerable workers. According to Gabriela party-list House Assistant Minority Leader Sarah Elago on Friday, awarding Mary Jane Veloso an absolute pardon is a success earned through a decades-long struggle for justice and liberty.
Hindi kusang-loob na dumating ang kalayaan ni Mary Jane. Pinaglaban ito ng kanyang pamilya, mga migranteng Pilipino, taong simbahan, human rights defenders, women’s groups, lawyers, at mamamayang patuloy na nanindigan kahit ilang year nang tila walang kasiguruhan ang kanyang paglaya. Elago