“Justice delayed is justice denied.” This was true for a long time for Mary Jane Veloso, who had been imprisoned in Indonesia, more than 1000 miles away from her home for 14 years. However, after years of uncertainty, her story has taken a hopeful turn. On April 25, 2010, Veloso, a Philippines native, was arrested in Indonesia for drug trafficking. The case got worldwide attention, as Veloso claimed that she was duped by illegal Filipino recruiters into carrying the drug-ridden briefcase into Indonesia without her knowledge. Despite her defense, she was convicted and sentenced to death by a firing squad, a ruling that sparked an international outcry.

In 2015, Manny Pacquiao, who had been a long advocate of clemency in high-profile cases involving Filipinos overseas, made a public plea to the Indonesian government to spare Veloso’s life and let her return to her native country. He even wrote a letter to the President of Indonesia. Pacquiao wasn’t alone in this. Many amnesty groups, as well as the civil society in the Philippines, pleaded with the Indonesian government. The public outcry certainly helped her case, as her execution was called off the very day she was to face the firing squad. However, she still remained on death row. In July 2015, Manny Pacquiao even visited Mary Jane Veloso at the Wirogunan prison and prayed with her.

Finally, after almost a decade, the Indonesian government heard those prayers and decided to repatriate Veloso to the Philippines. On the occasion of Veloso’s homecoming, Pacquiao penned an emotional message welcoming her back.

Manny Pacquiao recalls the dark days

PacMan took to his Instagram and posted several pictures from the meeting he and his wife Jinkee had with Veloso in 2015. He wrote, “It’s true that the saying that if there’s patience, there’s a boil,” stating how the past 10 years have been a game of waiting for justice. The 62-8-2 boxer further wrote, “I still remember on July 10, 2015, Jinkee and I went to Indonesia to Mary Jane Veloso to greet and plead with the Indonesian government not to continue the imposition of the penal death on her,” recalling how dire the situation was.

During their visit to Wirogunan, Pacquiao and his wife Jinkee spent almost an hour with Veloso. Veloso also gave Manny Pacquiao a ring and a blue scarf with ‘Pacman’ written on it, which she made herself. By 2015, Manny Pacquiao was not only a boxing legend but was also a congressman, which made his plea for Veloso far more impactful. One of the images in the Instagram post also showed the three of them deeply immersed in prayer.

The boxer-turned-politician, in his message on Instagram, thanked God for listening to their pleas. He also personally thanked the Philippines president Bongbong Marcos for his help in Veloso’s return to her home country. “Thank you for listening to our prayer. Thank you very much, President Bongbong Marcos, for helping Mary Jane Veloso go home. God is good all the time,” stated Pacquiao.

The Mary Jane Veloso case has been a point of debate for human rights activists all around the world. For the past 15 years, the Philippine government has been tirelessly trying to bring Veloso back. On Thursday, the battle finally ended when President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced the news to the public.

Mary Jane Veloso’s: A Story of Collective Triumph

Mary Jane Veloso’s case has been a rallying point for human rights advocates worldwide, highlighting issues of human trafficking, judicial fairness, and the plight of overseas workers. Veloso, a single mother of two sons from Nueva Ecija, Philippines, traveled to Malaysia in search of employment to help feed her children, only to fall victim to a trafficking scheme that led to her arrest in Indonesia. Convicted of carrying 5.7 lbs (2.6 kgs) of her**n, she faced a death sentence largely because of inadequate legal representation during her trial.

Veloso maintained her innocence and stated that her recruiters provided the suitcase and she had no idea regarding it. However, the court convicted her of drug trafficking, sentenced her to death due to a lack of legal representation, and scheduled her and eight others for execution by firing squad. Thankfully for her, her recruiters, Maria Cristina Sergio, and Julius Lacanilao surrendered to Philippine authorities the day before she was to be put to death, proving her innocence and lack of knowledge about the drugs. This helped delay her execution. However, the execution of the other eight convicts went ahead as scheduled.

On Thursday, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared in a press conference that his government was able to convince the Indonesian government to reduce Veloso’s penalty of life imprisonment. Her story underscores the vulnerabilities of migrant workers and the need for stronger protections against trafficking.

Mary Jane Veloso’s return is a triumph not just for her family but also for human rights defenders worldwide. It also serves as a testament to Manny Pacquiao’s steadfast dedication. Beyond his achievements in the boxing ring, Pacquiao’s advocacy in high-profile cases like Veloso’s demonstrates his commitment to using his platform for the greater good.

What are your thoughts on Manny Pacquiao’s role in this inspiring journey? Let us know in the comments below.