Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has granted an absolute pardon to Mary Jane Veloso, a former overseas worker who spent more than 15 years in detention after being sentenced to death in Indonesia for drug trafficking — a conviction she and her lawyers always disputed, claiming she was unknowingly used as a drug mule by her recruiters. Veloso, who was transferred to the Philippines in December 2024 following an agreement with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, had appealed directly to Marcos for clemency upon her return, and the president confirmed he signed the pardon on September 25. The pardon, which extinguishes her criminal liability and restores her civil and political rights, was hailed by migrant rights group Migrante International as "a historic victory" for the global movement that campaigned for her release, though the group criticised Marcos for keeping her detained in a Philippine prison for nearly two years after her repatriation despite no local charges being filed against her.