The Brussels-based International Association of Democratic Lawyers has called on the Philippine government to immediately release Mary Jane Veloso who remains in prison after her transfer from Indonesia where she was convicted of drug trafficking.

Mary Jane Veloso arrives in PH after 14-year imprisonment in Indonesia

In a statement of the IADL shared by Veloso’s Philippine lawyer Atty. Edre Olalia, the group urged President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. to exercise his power to release Veloso who is currently detained at the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong City.

“The IADL believes that Mary Jane Veloso, a victim of trafficking, has suffered long enough and the grant of clemency is primarily a presidential prerogative which may be given purely on a humanitarian basis, without the need of a lengthy administrative and legal review by experts. Justice delayed is justice denied,” said IADL President Jeanne Mirer.

The IADL also compared the plight of Veloso to the Australian Bali 9 death row convicts who were released upon their transfer from Indonesia.

The IADL lamented the statements of President Marcos that the adminstration is still “far” from granting clemency to Veloso as legal experts are still studying the matter.

“Unfortunately, while other foreign prisoners like the five Australians who were part of the Bali 9 death row convicts were immediately freed by the Australian government upon transfer from Indonesia, Mary Jane Veloso was imprisoned upon her repatriation,” Mirer said.

The IADL however commended the transfer of Veloso based on an agreement reached by both Indonesian and Philippine authorities. 

The group highlighted that the plight of Veloso exemplifies the vulnerabilities of migrant workers who seek opportunities abroad but end up as victims of traffickers.

“With her return to the Philippines, Ms. Veloso now has the opportunity to testify against the traffickers who orchestrated her exploitation, thereby aiding in her pursuit of genuine justice,” Mirer said.

Meantime, Atty. Olalia emphasized that granting absolute pardon is in the hands of President Marcos and thumbed down the idea of the Department of Justice to apply for good conduct time allowance for Veloso.

“The idea of the DOJ for possible application of GCTA application is problematic and unfair to MJV who has been in death row since 2010 because this requires serving the minimum sentence of reclusion perpetua (or "life imprisonment" as others would call it) of 20 years, meaning she has to wait for another 6 years to be able to qualify for the benefit of GCTA & possibly parole,” Olalia said.

He noted that the next hearing for the qualified human trafficking, illegal recrutiment and estafa cases against Veloso’s recruiters is on February 19, 2025.

The cases were filed before the Sto. Domingo, Nueva Ecija Regional Trial Court in 2015.

“The taking of her testimony originally via deposition in Indonesia jail has been delayed for years because of dilatory legal challenges by the accused but which is now settled and superseded by her personal testimony in court,” Olalia said.