1 hr ago

Philippine President Pardons Drug Convict Mary Jane Veloso

Mary Jane Veloso was imprisoned in Indonesia for a drug-trafficking conviction.

Authorities found heroin in her suitcase when she was arrested in 2010.

Veloso said she did not know the drugs were there.

An Indonesian court sentenced her to death.

She avoided execution in 2015 after receiving a last-minute reprieve.

After many years of negotiations, she returned to the Philippines in December 2024.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has now pardoned her.

The transfer agreement respected her Indonesian conviction, while Indonesia left any later clemency decision to Marcos.

Key facts

Prison sentence: Veloso spent nearly 15 years in prison in Indonesia before returning to the Philippines.
Arrest: She was arrested in Yogyakarta in 2010.
Drugs found: Authorities found 2.6 kilograms, or 5.7 pounds, of heroin concealed in her suitcase.
Original sentence: An Indonesian court convicted Veloso and sentenced her to death.
Execution reprieve: She received a last-minute reprieve from execution by firing squad in 2015.
Return to Philippines: Veloso returned in December 2024 under an agreement between Manila and Jakarta.
Pardon authority: Indonesian authorities said decisions on clemency after her transfer would be up to Marcos.

theprint.in · 2 hrs ago