President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is still weighing whether to grant clemency to Mary Jane Veloso, the former overseas worker who recently returned to the country after more than a decade on death row in Indonesia, Malacañang Palace said Tuesday.
The Office of the Executive Secretary is currently reviewing legal provisions and the records of high-level diplomatic discussions with Indonesian authorities to determine the next steps in the high-profile case.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro told reporters during a briefing that the final decision rests solely with the president’s prerogative, but emphasized that the administration is conducting a thorough legal review to ensure no laws or international agreements are violated.
“They are studying the latest minutes of the meeting with Indonesia and will see if there are any legal impediments,” Castro said in Filipino. “Again, whatever is granted will depend on the president’s prerogative.”
The statement comes as Veloso’s family and supporters renew their push for her full release. In a recent open letter, Veloso reiterated her plea for clemency, maintaining her innocence and expressing a desire to be free after 16 years of incarceration.
Veloso was arrested in 2010 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, after authorities discovered 2.6 kilograms of heroin hidden in the lining of her suitcase. She was convicted of drug trafficking and sentenced to death, a case that became a cause célèbre in the Philippines and sparked international appeals for mercy.
She was granted a dramatic, last-minute reprieve from execution in 2015 after Philippine officials informed Indonesia that her recruiters—who she claimed tricked her into carrying the drugs—had surrendered to police.
The case remained a fixture of Philippine-Indonesian relations for years. Marcos discussed the matter with then-President Joko Widodo during a state visit in 2022, eventually leading to an agreement for her repatriation.
Veloso arrived back in the Philippines on Dec. 18, 2024. She was immediately transferred to the Correctional Institute for Women in Mandaluyong to serve the remainder of her sentence while her legal status remains in limbo.
While the Philippine constitution grants the president the power to issue pardons and clemency, the administration appears to be moving cautiously to respect the terms of the transfer agreement with Jakarta, which originally saw Veloso sentenced under Indonesian law.
