Press Release | Migrante International
October 30, 2025
Supporters of Mary Jane Veloso submitted to the Supreme Court on Thursday an appeal to expedite the case against her recruiters so that she may finally testify before court to prove that she is a victim of trafficking and illegal recruitment.
The appeal, signed by her legal counsel from the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers, urges the Supreme Court to decide on the motion to proceed with the trial hearings at the Correctional Institute for Women in Mandaluyong, where Mary Jane is currently detained.
The pending cases at the Regional Trial Court Branch 89, Baloc, Sto. Domingo, Nueva Ecija charged Ma. Christina Sergio and Julius Lacanilao with counts of human trafficking, illegal recruitment and estafa. Mary Jane Veloso is the private complainant and final witness to the case. She has yet to provide to the court her testimony against her traffickers.
OFW group Migrante International expressed frustration with the snail’s pace of progress in her case after ten months of detention in the Philippines.
“The case against Mary Jane’s traffickers have been ongoing for 15 years and it has yet to be resolved. Now that Mary Jane is home and in Philippine territory, why is it still taking too long for her to testify? The goverment continues to deprive her of that right. Justice delayed for Mary Jane Veloso is justice denied for all victims of labor trafficking,” said Joanna Concepcion, chairperson of Migrante International.
Supporters and family of Mary Jane also reiterated their appeal of executive clemency for Veloso on humanitarian grounds. They upheld the appeal to be consistent with the statements of Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Legal, Human Rights, Immigration, and Correctional Affairs, Yusril Ihza Mahendra, who affirmed that the Indonesian government would respect any decision by Marcos Jr. regarding clemency.
“Once again, we challenge Marcos Jr. to grant Mary Jane Veloso the full clemency she deserves. There is no legal basis to prolong her detention. Justice for Mary Jane is not only justice against her traffickers but also freedom and the warm embrace of her family and people,” said Concepcion.
Migrante International and the family and counsel of Mary Jane Veloso all remain hopeful that justice for Mary Jane will prevail.###