Malacañang expressed optimism on Friday that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. may respond positively to the clemency appeal for convicted overseas worker Mary Jane Veloso.
The appeal was formally submitted to the Palace by Veloso’s parents and advocacy groups, requesting full and absolute clemency ahead of the President’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 28.
Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said that Marcos has not yet received the petition but noted that any action that does not violate the law and benefits the Filipino citizen involved may merit a favorable response.
Veloso, convicted of drug trafficking in Indonesia in 2010, was previously on death row before her sentence was commuted. She was transferred back to the Philippines in December 2024 and is now detained at the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong.
Last year, President Marcos said clemency for Veloso was still “far off,” but recent developments may open the door to renewed consideration.
