By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA, Philippines — Mary Jane Veloso could soon walk out of prison after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. began seriously weighing an absolute pardon for the Filipino whose death sentence in Indonesia was halted at the last moment in 2015.
Malacañang confirmed Wednesday that Marcos is considering clemency on humanitarian grounds, although Palace officials declined to disclose when the President might make a final decision.
Palace press officer Claire Castro said speculation over a possible Christmas release should be left to Marcos, who could announce his decision earlier than expected.
“Should I preempt the president? It could be earlier. We don’t know,” Castro said.
Bataan Rep. Albert Garcia separately told lawmakers that an announcement could come within days as he defended the Office of the President’s budget.
Garcia said the administration was seriously studying an absolute pardon as part of its stated commitment to protecting Filipino migrant workers.
The prospect of Veloso’s release comes after years of petitions and appeals for presidential clemency.
Gabriela Women’s Party Rep. Sarah Elago said Veloso should have been released earlier, citing her prolonged imprisonment and repeated calls for her freedom.
Veloso was arrested in Indonesia in 2010 after authorities discovered 2.6 kilograms of heroin concealed in her suitcase.
She insisted that she had been tricked into carrying the luggage and was herself a victim of human trafficking.
An Indonesian court eventually sentenced her to death by firing squad.
Her execution was stopped in 2015 after then-President Benigno Aquino III appealed to Jakarta, stressing that Veloso could become a key witness against the drug syndicate that allegedly recruited her.
The reprieve prevented her execution while efforts continued to resolve her case.
In December 2024, Manila and Jakarta reached an arrangement allowing Veloso to return home and complete her commuted sentence in the Philippines.
She arrived in the country on Dec. 18, 2024, and was placed at the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong City, operated by the Bureau of Corrections.
Castro said Indonesia’s concurrence would no longer be necessary for a Philippine pardon because Veloso is now serving her sentence under Philippine custody.
The Constitution grants the President the power to pardon convicted individuals under Section 19, Article VII, except those convicted through impeachment.
An absolute pardon extinguishes the criminal liability attached to a conviction without imposing conditions on the recipient.
It does not eliminate civil indemnity ordered by a court.
Once granted, the pardon also restores civil and political rights, including the right to vote and eligibility for public office.
The Palace has yet to announce a final decision.
But with officials indicating that a presidential announcement could come within days, Veloso’s long-running fight for freedom has entered a potentially decisive stage.
ia/xf
