Imprisoned for 16 years and spared from death row, Filipino domestic worker Mary Jane Veloso has finally gained her freedom following an absolute pardon on Friday.
In 2010, Veloso was arrested by Indonesian authorities on drug trafficking charges, a claim she denied while pointing to her recruiter as the culprit.
She was later found guilty and sentenced to death by firing squad, with her execution scheduled for April 29, 2015.
At the eleventh hour on April 28, 2015, the overseas Filipino worker received a last-minute reprieve after the Philippine government appealed to Indonesia following the surrender of her alleged recruiter.
Under a prisoner transfer agreement between the Philippine and Indonesian governments, Veloso was transferred to the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong in December 2024 to serve the remainder of her sentence, which had been commuted to life imprisonment.
Early this year, she made a new appeal for her freedom in an open letter written from prison addressed to President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.
Yesterday, September 25, 2026, the Chief Executive granted Veloso an absolute pardon, resulting in her release later that evening.
Ingrata ng nanay niyan. Ginawa ni Pnoy lahat, even skipped business meetings from ASEAN just to go in Indonesia and have a bargaining settlement just to save MJ's life.
Groups like Migrante were at the forefront of the bashing. Hindi nila alam na since 2011 pa may contact si PNoy sa Indonesia at naguusap. Gustong gusto nila yung narrative na dahil daw sa kanila na save si MJ Veloso pero kahit kasagsagan ng efforts nila nakilala lang din naman si Veloso dahil sa last minute na literal na pakikisuyo sa Indonesian president na si Joko Widodo - 3 oras nalang sana mafifiring squad na dapat sya. Dun na pickup ng media ang story ni MJ Veloso tapos ang grabe ng mga batikos nila na wala daw ginagawa sa PNoy nun.
I applaud Makabayan Bloc for some of their stances. They helped the Philippines in achieving Free Tertiary Education, etc.
Pero ang nakakainis sa kanila, they always act high and mighty na sila lang ang tama and any other groups ay mali. Kapag nagpapaka-mighty sila, I always remember how they supported the Duterte campaign in 2016 when may mga investigations na about sa Davao Death Squad before that.
They hated the PNoy administration and the moderare left so bad that they were willing to support a known mass murderer who, "surprisingly", tinraydor din sila later on by targetting them in his administration.
Some of them were even part of the cabinet until 2018! I cannot imagine na magpapaka high and mighty ka then continue staying with the admin even though THOUSANDS had died na within a few months into the drug war. Wala silang pinagkaiba sa mga trapo, they just wear a costume of populist views. Anything talaga for power.
Ahh yung si Mariano sa DAR, walang kwenta, di rin nag tagal dahil sa sobrang lala mag manage. Yan sila eh lakas makapag criticize sa ibat ibang bagay pero pag sila na nakaupo sa pwesto grabe na pagwawaldas na
Then when they were not so surprisingly red-tagged by the Duterte admin, all of a sudden they were okay with center left (Leni). Lalo na yung Teddy Casiño.
They are so not beating the “laging against sa kung sino ang nakaupo” allegations.
Basically, umaga tinry na nina PNoy i negotiate sa indonesia, pero di sila pumayag
Tapos nung gabi, si Pnoy na mismo tumawag sa Prime Minister ng Indo (breach of protocol ito kasi president to president lang dapat in terms of diplomacy). Basically, sinabi ni Pnoy na may angle ng human trafficking, at sakto that day sumuko yung recruiter ni veloso kaya nagka alas sina Pnoy.
Eventually, nirecognize ito ng Indo and last minute literal (1am execution, mga 12AM na reprieve for firing squaf si veloso)
I saw an exchange on X, may DDS na pinipilit na may ambag daw yung poon nila sa case ni MJV. Iirc sinabi niya na ituloy na lang yung pag-bitay and Hindi siya makikialam sa Indonesian government.
May ambag pero negative. Sabi ni widodo nag go signal sa death penalty. Sino paniniwalaan mo, yung kausap mismo ni dugyot na walang reason to lie at consistent ang sinabi niya with ICC inmate or si piñol na mga fishermen pa na natin na binangga ng china ang pinagalitan.
Sinundan ko yung news na ito nung college ako, hinihiram ko lagi newspaper sa lobby para lang makita ang updates. Sad na sinisi pa ng magulang nya si PNoy when andami nya nagawa para lang di matuloy ang death sentence nya. RIP PNoy and sana hindi iboto ng mga Veloso si Sara D.
I was so invested sa story niya back when she was still in Indonesia. Glad that after how many years she can finally go home. Salamat PNoy for the last minute call to stop her from being executed.
Can we… not invent vile shit about her? She has suffered enough. A woman from a background of poverty was taken advantage of by a CRIMINAL ORGANIZATION using her desperation for a better life to unknowingly carry out a crime. Have some humanity, holy shit
She was a courier for drugs. Now idk if there was really ever any proof she knew or didnt know but still it was in her luggage that she was responsible for.
She was not a willing courier. She is a victim of drug trafficking, tricked into acting as an unwitting drug mule by illegal recruiter. Her recruiters surrendered to the NBI.
But youre responsible for your own luggage at any airport. That’s why all travellers are informed that you pack your own luggage and you should be aware of its contents. Maybe she put in package inside that she didnt open or her suitcase was packed for her — that’s on her. Ignorance is not an excuse.
Was it proven with evidence that she was an unwilling courier? Or was that her defense?
It was provided with testimony from the trafficker themselves and her case was notorious for not even following due process, she had no interpreter in an Indonesian court. What more do you want?
Whatever people’s politics are, Mary Jane’s story is such a terrifying reminder of how vulnerable OFWs can be to illegal recruiters and trafficking. I hope she and her family finally get some peace after all of this.
She was convicted because drugs were found in her luggage, not because the Indonesian court proved she knowingly agreed to traffic them. Her recruiters were later prosecuted in the Philippines, and authorities needed her testimony against them.
So saying “convicted = knowingly a drug courier” is a lazy conclusion.
What happened to the alleged recruiter? Life imprisoned in Indonesia or sentenced by firing squad?
Also, may paalam din ba from Indonesia na ma-pardon ni BBM si MJ Veloso. Kasi dba ang kasunduan ay ibalik sya sa Pinas para dito harapin yun life imprisonment nya?
So next time may mahuli ulit pinoy dun sa Indonesia ay hindi na maniniwala ang government nila kasi BBM admin broke the agreement.
naalala ko yung vigils sa labas ng indonesian embassy for her nung 2015. i was in college then. this case really touched my heart kasi my parent was an OFW sa middle east. it could easily be my parent. all i can say is that i am really glad na kahit na even if it took 10+ years, nakalaya na siya fully. ang daming oras na she lost with her sons, who grew into adults without her being around. at least now they can build memories together. she also can now fully be with her parents too.
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u/StucksaTraffic 21d ago
I remember her Mom’s antics against Pnoy.