Overview

• Mary Jane Veloso, sentenced to death in Indonesia in 2010 for drug trafficking, will be repatriated to the Philippines after 14 years of imprisonment.
• Veloso's case gained international attention as she maintained she was an unwitting drug mule, duped by illegal recruiters who concealed heroin in her suitcase.
• Her execution was stayed in 2015 after her recruiters were arrested in the Philippines, allowing her to serve as a key witness in their human trafficking trial.
• The transfer agreement, announced by Philippine President Marcos Jr., reflects years of negotiations and a commitment to justice and compassion between the two nations.
• Veloso's return underscores broader issues of migrant worker exploitation and the vulnerabilities faced by impoverished individuals seeking work abroad.