De Lima backs clemency for Veloso

MANILA, Philippines — In 2015, then justice secretary Leila de Lima was one of three Cabinet officials who, together with then president Benigno Aquino III, appealed to Indonesia to spare Mary Jane Veloso from execution.

Speaking yesterday on The STAR’s online show “Truth on the Line,” De Lima said Veloso was already wearing the uniform of a “dead person walking” when then Indonesian president Joko Widodo, known for his hardline stance on drug trafficking, finally granted the stay of execution at the eleventh hour.

Today De Lima is hoping for executive clemency for Veloso, who spent nearly 15 years on death row in Indonesia for bringing 2.6 kilos of heroin into Yogyakarta.

De Lima recalls rejoicing among Aquino and the two others who worked on the stay of execution: then foreign affairs secretary Albert del Rosario and secretary to the Cabinet Rene Almendras.

They argued that Veloso would testify against her Filipino recruiters and prove that she was a victim of human trafficking.

De Lima called on President Marcos to grant Veloso clemency, urging the government to approach the issue not from a punitive standpoint, but with a more compassionate and fair perspective.

A rights advocate, De Lima emphasized the need for the Marcos administration to show firmness in addressing the drug trade within the country, particularly in going after drug syndicates and the supply side of the problem.

The government, she said, needs to show that it is serious about fighting the drug menace, but should not disregard the human side of individual cases like Mary Jane’s.

De Lima acknowledged the complexity of Veloso’s case.

She noted that while Veloso claims innocence and asserts that she was unaware of the drugs in her luggage, the truth remains unclear.

“We do not know what the truth is,” De Lima said. “Is she really a mule or unwittingly does she not know that there were drugs in her luggage?”

De Lima also commented on the previous Duterte administration’s handling of Veloso’s case, expressing that former president Rodrigo Duterte’s stance, which implied support for Veloso’s execution, was a grave mistake.

“You were not helping Mary Jane when (former president Duterte) did that,” De Lima said, reflecting on the past government’s failure to intervene more decisively.

She urged the current administration to reassess the clemency process, emphasizing the need for a fair review by the Board of Pardons and Paroles.

Meanwhile, Veloso’s return to the Philippines after spending years on death row in Indonesia has sparked renewed calls for clemency.

In an emotional interview upon her arrival at the Correctional Institution for Women (CIW) in Mandaluyong City, Veloso appealed to Marcos for clemency.

“I’m so happy to be back home. I am appealing to the President to grant me clemency,” she told reporters.

Veloso, who was convicted in 2010 after being caught with 2.6 kilos of heroin at Yogyakarta airport, has long maintained her innocence, claiming that the drugs were planted in her luggage by her recruiters.

Despite her claims, she was sentenced to death but later spared after diplomatic negotiations between Indonesia and the Philippines.

Her return to the Philippines was secured under an agreement between the two nations, as announced by President Marcos and the Department of Foreign Affairs on Nov. 19.

As Veloso now faces mandatory quarantine and an initial evaluation at the CIW, De Lima’s call for clemency comes as both a plea for justice and an appeal for mercy for a woman who has already endured immense suffering after being incarcerated for more than a decade.

The push for clemency continues to gain traction, with lawmakers and human rights advocates urging the President to carefully consider the case, with the hope that the process will be expedited and the right decision made.

Veloso arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City yesterday morning.