After more than sixteen long years, Mary Jane Veloso is finally coming home free.
We welcome President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s grant of an absolute pardon to Mary Jane, a long-awaited act that brings immeasurable relief to her, her family, and all those who stood with her through the years.
September 25, 2026
NUPL
The National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers is a nationwide voluntary association of human rights lawyers in the Philippines, committed to the defense, protection, and promotion of human rights, especially of the poor and the oppressed.

PRESS STATEMENT

We welcome President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s grant of an absolute pardon to Mary Jane, a long-awaited act that brings immeasurable relief to her, her family, and all those who stood with her through the years.

Mary Jane’s story is one of extraordinary courage and resilience. A migrant worker and trafficking victim who came perilously close to execution, she never lost hope. In the process, she became a powerful symbol of the struggles endured by countless Filipinos driven abroad by necessity and made vulnerable to trafficking and exploitation.

Her freedom is cause for celebration. It is also a reminder of why trafficking victims must be met first with protection, compassion, and justice, and why no victim should have to spend years fighting simply to be recognized as one.

Today, we celebrate Mary Jane, her family, and everyone who refused to give up on her. ###

Photo credit: ABS-CBN News

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“There is nothing more fulfilling than to be devoted to defending our clients and people who work for social change. We shall be with them as they embark on militant actions, engage in empowering undertakings and in the process, strengthen and further unite their ranks. Our commitment to our struggling people is what makes us people’s lawyers.”

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