Indonesia says it will honor Philippines' pardon of Mary Jane Veloso

Indonesia has pledged to honor the pardon granted by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to Mary Jane Veloso, who spent years on death row in Indonesia for drug-related offenses. Justice Undersecretary Deo Marco told reporters that the Indonesian government will respect the Philippine president's decision, citing a local news agency report. Nicholas Ty added that a bilateral treaty makes the Philippines responsible for Veloso's legal status after her repatriation, including any executive clemency.

Ty also invoked the non-punishment principle of the Philippines' human-trafficking law, arguing that victims like Veloso should not be criminally liable for acts committed under duress. He noted that similar legal interpretations are used by other Asian nations, though implementation remains complex. The officials emphasized that the 2015 negotiations with Indonesia were aimed at securing Veloso's testimony in a trafficking case back home.