A triumph for the Filipino people: Bring Mary Jane Home. Grant her immediate clemency.
The Asia Pacific Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (APCHRP) celebrates the victory of the Filipino people as Mary Jane Veloso is finally set to return home after nearly 14 years of imprisonment for drug trafficking. The governments of the Philippines and Indonesia have reached an agreement allowing Veloso’s return. The ongoing campaigns to save Mary Jane Veloso from the horror of execution have been championed by both national and international communities, led by Migrante and various churches in the Philippines. This is a triumph for the Filipino people and victims of human trafficking worldwide and it underscores the broader call for decent living wages in the Philippines—a demand that remains unfulfilled today.
Before Mary Jane Veloso ended up in Indonesia, she had worked as a domestic helper in Dubai from 2009 to 2010, but this was cut short when she had to return to the Philippines after her employer attempted to rape her. Facing limited job opportunities in the country, she sought employment overseas again. She was illegally recruited by her godfather’s daughter to work as a domestic worker in Malaysia. However, upon arriving in Kuala Lumpur, she was informed that the job was no longer available and was sent to Indonesia instead. When she arrived on April 25, 2010, at Jogjakarta Airport, unbeknownst to her, her luggage contained heroin worth $500,000, hidden inside.
Her trafficker, Maria Kristina “Tintin” Sergio, initially told Veloso’s parents that she was in Malaysia and that her employer was “kind”. Sergio even sent them clothes and milk, claiming they were from Veloso. Nearly a month passed before Veloso was able to inform her parents that she was imprisoned. Sergio silenced Veloso’s parents by telling them that Veloso’s case was connected to an international syndicate. However, the family eventually sought help from the Philippine government. On October 11, 2010, the District Court of Justice in Sleman, Yogyakarta, sentenced Veloso to death for her case.
During the administrations of Aquino and Duterte, progress on Mary Jane Veloso’s case was slow. The Aquino administration filed an appeal, but it was rejected by Indonesian President Joko Widodo. The case saw significant development only when Veloso’s execution was suspended following discussions between the two leaders during an ASEAN meeting. However, under the Duterte administration, the President reportedly told the Indonesian government to “go ahead” with Veloso’s execution, further complicating her situation.
Mary Jane Veloso’s case is not an isolated incident. Many Filipinos who seek opportunities abroad end up in inhumane conditions, facing sexual, physical, and other forms of abuse. According to data from the Department of Migrant Workers, at least 44 Filipino nationals are currently on death row, often in cases related to murder or drug offenses. These situations stem from systemic failures in the Philippine government, particularly the lack of job opportunities within the country. As a result, many Filipinos are forced to work abroad, exposing themselves to vulnerabilities and risks. Instead of creating jobs locally, the Philippine government implements neoliberal policies such as the Labor Export Policy, which was institutionalized during the Marcos Sr. administration. This policy commodifies Filipino labor, sending workers abroad to address the country’s declining economy, rather than addressing its root causes of poverty in the Philippines.
The coalition continues to call for Mary Jane Veloso’s full clemency and her safe and immediate return to the Philippines. Most importantly, the coalition urges the Marcos administration to pursue genuine agrarian reform and national industrialization to address unemployment and ensure living wages in the country while strengthening protections for Filipino migrants. It also calls on international communities and human rights groups to support this appeal and to sign up at www.change.org/clemency4maryjane in solidarity for her clemency and safe return. ###
#BringMaryJaneHome
#FreeMaryJaneVeloso
