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Veloso camp reiterates appeal for clemency on Mary Jane's 40th birthday
"What are you waiting for, Mr. President?"
This was the question that the camp of Mary Jane Veloso asked President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. as the Filipino drug convict spent her 40th birthday in detention in the Philippines.
"Indonesia said it is alright with them that you grant her clemency and that responsibility is passed on to you. UAE has already pardoned 220 Filipinos recently. So what gives, Mr. President?" Edre Olalia, one of Veloso's legal counsels, said on X (formerly Twitter).
This developed as the Veloso family and her supporters on Friday submitted a petition for Mary Jane's clemency with Malacañang.
Advocacy group Migrante International, which has been supporting calls to release Mary Jane, said the online clemency petition for Veloso had garnered more than 3,800 signatures from all over the world.
It said that ''national and global pressure is now mounting on Marcos to end Mary Jane’s suffering in detention.''
“The clock is now ticking on Marcos to grant Mary Jane clemency. The number of Mary Jane’s supporters continues to grow from the Philippines to beyond. Around the world, we will not stop speaking out until Mary Jane is free,” said Joanna Concepcion, Migrante chairperson, said in a press release.
Earlier in the day, Veloso's family and supporters went to the Correctional Institute for Women (CIW) in Mandaluyong to celebrate her 40th birthday.
GMA News Online has requested comment from Malacañang regarding the renewed calls for Veloso's release and the submission of the clemency petition, but it has yet to respond as of posting time.
Marcos previously said the possibility of granting Veloso clemency was still "far off." He also said that he would trust the judgment of the government's legal experts regarding a possible clemency.
'Urgent call' renewed
In a separate statement, the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) said Veloso deserves justice, freedom, and the chance to rebuild her life with dignity.
“On this special day, we renew our urgent call for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to grant Mary Jane Veloso an absolute pardon,” the NUPL said.
“This is not only a gesture of compassion but also a powerful stand against human trafficking and the exploitation of migrant workers,” it added.
The International Association of Democratic Lawyers (IADL) last month called on Marcos to grant absolute pardon to Veloso.
Indonesia has said that it would respect any decision made by the Philippines, including if Veloso will be given clemency.
Veloso, who was convicted of drug trafficking in Indonesia, was transferred to Philippine custody in December 2024. — VDV, GMA Integrated News
