Philippine President grants a pardon to Mary Jane Veloso, who was previously convicted of drug smuggling and sentenced to death in Indonesia. The New York Times and Free Malaysia Today both report that she was arrested in Yogyakarta in 2010 after authorities found about 2.6 kg of heroin concealed in a suitcase.
Both outlets describe the case as long-running and tied to Indonesia’s legal process. The New York Times adds that Veloso is taken nearly to execution, noting she faces a firing squad before the outcome changes. After more than a decade, she receives the pardon from the Philippines, ending that stage of the process. The coverage focuses on the timeline and the role of the Philippines’ clemency decision, while differing in emphasis on the exact circumstances of her death sentence and near execution in Indonesia.
