Jamaine Punzalan

Mary Jane Veloso reunites with her family after arriving at the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong on December 18, 2024. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

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Mary Jane Veloso -CIW

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/173457626292320241218-mary-jane-veloso-family-MT649.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Mary Jane Veloso reunites with her family after arriving at the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong on December 18, 2024. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Mary Jane Veloso reunites with her family after arriving at the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong on December 18, 2024.<em> Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News </em></span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>MANILA -- President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday said the possible grant of clemency for Mary Jane Veloso, the Filipina who spent nearly 15 years on Indonesia&#x27;s death row, rested on &quot;the judgement of our legal experts.&quot;</p><p>The mother of two awaits a hoped-for pardon in a women&#x27;s prison in Mandaluyong, where she was transferred on Wednesday following a repatriation deal between the Philippines and Indonesia that was over a decade in the making.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2024/12/17/mary-jane-veloso-arrives-in-ph-after-14-year-imprisonment-in-indonesia-0601">Mary Jane Veloso arrives in PH after 14-year imprisonment in Indonesia</a></div><p>&quot;Malayo pa tayo roon. We still have to habe a look really at what her status is and of course we are aware of the request for clemency from her representative, of course, her family,&quot; Marcos told reporters.</p><p>&quot;We will leave it to the judgement of our legal experts to determine whether the provision of clemency is appropriate,&quot; he added. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2024/12/18/tears-tight-hugs-as-veloso-family-reunites-1003">Tears, tight hugs as Mary Jane Veloso reunites with family</a></div><p>The 39-year-old Veloso was arrested and sentenced to death in 2010 after the suitcase she was carrying was found to be lined with 2.6 kilograms of heroin, in a case that sparked uproar in the Philippines.</p><p>She flew home without handcuffs alongside Filipino correctional officials on an overnight commercial flight after a Jakarta ceremony marking &quot;the end of a harrowing chapter in Veloso&#x27;s life&quot;, the corrections bureau said in a statement.</p><script data-wid="auto" type="text/javascript" src="https://content.viralize.tv/display/?zid=AAEyze-tm4MR6kEa&amp;cid=ABR-04mwUA9lLFMc&amp;activation=adfill&amp;vip_mode=no"></script><p>In a Wednesday statement, Marcos thanked Indonesia for turning over custody, but made no mention of a pardon or clemency.</p><p>Under the agreement, Veloso&#x27;s life sentence now falls under the Philippines&#x27; purview, &quot;including the authority to grant clemency, remission, amnesty and similar measures&quot;.</p><p>&quot;Wala naman condition na ibinigay ang Indonesia. It&#x27;s really up to us. But we&#x27;re still at the very preliminary stage,&quot; Marcos said Thursday.</p><p>Justice Undersecretary Raul Vasquez earlier told reporters that Veloso&#x27;s clemency bid was &quot;on the table&quot; and would be &quot;seriously studied&quot;.</p><p>DOJ Undersecretary Jesse Andres noted that the Board of Pardons and Parole should first make the proper evaluation and submit a recommendationon Veloso&#x27;s pardon. </p><p>“Matagal na proseso po yan, hindi natin pwede madaliin. Kasalukuyan pinapatupad lang natin ang panuntunan natin with  the government of Indonesia for Mary Jane Veloso just to serve her prison sentence in the Philippines,” the official said. </p><p>“Yun lang po ang ginagawa natin sa ngayon. Hintayin po natin, may tamang panahon po na magsalita kami dyan pero may proseso din na kailangan sundin,” he added.  </p><p>Veloso will serve out her life sentence if not pardoned, Vasquez added.</p><p>Indonesia&#x27;s government has said it will respect any decision made by Manila.</p><div><strong>-- With reports from Jamaine Punzalan, Willard Cheng, ABS-CBN News; Agence France-Presse</strong></div>

<p>President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday said the possible grant of clemency for Mary Jane Veloso, the Filipina who spent nearly 15 years on Indonesia's death row, rested on "the judgement of our legal experts." </p>

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday said the possible grant of clemency for Mary Jane Veloso, the Filipina who spent nearly 15 years on Indonesia's death row, rested on "the judgement of our legal experts."

'Malayo pa tayo roon': Marcos leaves Mary Jane Veloso clemency up to legal experts

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'Malayo pa tayo roon': Marcos leaves Mary Jane Veloso clemency up to legal experts

ABS-CBN News

Published Dec 19, 2024 10:59 AM PHT

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Updated Dec 19, 2024 03:43 PM PHT

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