World · Singapore Bureau
Philippines grants pardon to repatriated drug convict Mary Jane Veloso
Mary Jane Veloso, a Filipino domestic worker whose execution Indonesia had suspended, has been granted a presidential pardon following her repatriation. The case had become a diplomatic flashpoint between Manila and Jakarta.
LSN Singapore ·
The Philippine government has issued a pardon for Mary Jane Veloso, resolving a years-long case that had strained relations between the Philippines and Indonesia. Veloso, a domestic worker convicted of drug trafficking, was repatriated to the Philippines after Indonesia agreed to halt her execution, marking an unusual resolution to a capital punishment case.
Veloso's case had emerged as a significant irritant in bilateral ties, with widespread public sentiment in the Philippines demanding intervention on her behalf. The conviction had sparked sustained domestic pressure on the Philippine government to negotiate her release, leading to diplomatic negotiations between Manila and Jakarta.
Under the agreement, Indonesia suspended Veloso's execution and transferred custody to Philippine authorities, provided she complete her sentence in the Philippines. The subsequent presidential pardon effectively concludes her imprisonment, allowing her to return to civilian life.
The resolution represents a rare diplomatic success in managing a contentious death penalty case between the two nations. It underscores the growing sentiment in Southeast Asia regarding capital punishment, with several countries in the region facing increasing international and domestic pressure over executions of foreign nationals.