DOJ orders filing of criminal raps vs. Veloso’s recruiters

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

MANILA — The Department of Justice (DOJ) has ordered the filing of criminal cases in court against the suspected recruiters of Mary Jane Veloso.

The DOJ recommended the filing of the case for violation of Section 6 of the Migrant Workers Act involving large-scale illegal recruitment against Ma. Kristina Sergio and Julius Lacanilao.

This after the DOJ found probable cause in the complaint filed by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and 13 other complainants against the duo.

For the illegal recruitment, the DOJ recommended no bail for the temporary liberty of the two.

On the complaint for human trafficking and estafa, the DOJ recommended that the same be placed under preliminary investigation.

The DOJ resolution was signed by Assistant State Prosecutor Mark Roland Estepa and approved by Prosecutor General Claro A. Arellano.

Sergio and Lacanilao were placed under inquest proceedings last Tuesday night for the new complaints filed against them, together with the complainants, are the relatives of Veloso.

They are currently detained at the NBI detention facility.

Veloso, a 30-=year old Filipina mother of two, was arrested and sentenced to death for allegedly smuggling 100 kilograms of heroin into Indonesia in April 2010. She was supposed to be executed on April 29, 2015 but on that date of execution, she was spared from death at the very last minute.