Two more victims of Veloso’s illegal recruitment show up

Mary Jane Veloso’s alleged recruiter, Maria Kristina Sergio, defends self from allegations. (Screengrab from ABS-CBN News)

MANILA — Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said on Friday two people surfaced and claimed they were also victims of Ma. Kristina Sergio, the alleged recruiter of Mary Jane Veloso.

“These two are claiming they were also victimized by the alleged recruiter,” de Lima said.

However, she refused to give more details regarding the identities and whereabouts of the victims pending verification by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

She also said that these cases would be treated separately from Veloso’s own complaint against Sergio, her live-in partner Julius Lacanilao, and an African man only identified as “Ike”.

“The NBI complaint only covers the case of Mary Jane. She has personal knowledge on the circumstances and could prove her claim she’s just a victim, that she was duped into carrying that luggage with illegal drugs there in Indonesia,” de Lima said.

She said Veloso would serve as witness and complainant in the criminal charges filed by the NBI last week against Sergio and her two suspected accomplices.

The Department of Justice already issued a subpoena on Lacanilao and Sergio, who is now facing charges of illegal recruitment, human trafficking and estafa.

The two are to appear before Asst. State Prosecutor Susan Azarcon on May 8 and 14 at 2 p.m. for preliminary investigation.

Meanwhile, the Indonesian government will not allow Veloso to travel back to the Philippines to testify in court against her recruiter.

Attorney General’s Office spokesperson Tony Spontana said they would ask Veloso to do a video conference or write a testimony proving her innocence instead.