Veloso return to help solve pending raps vs. recruiters

By Benjamin Pulta, Philippine News Agency

Veloso was caught, jailed and sentenced to death in 2010 after 2.6 kilograms of heroin were found in her suitcase. (File photo sreengrab from PTV via PNA)

MANILA – An official of the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Thursday said the return of Mary Jane Veloso from Indonesia to the Philippines would help the government pursue pending charges against her recruiters.

Justice Undersecretary Raul Vasquez explained that while two of Veloso’s known recruiters, Ma. Cristina Sergio and Julius Lacanilao, were sentenced to life in 2020 for the illegal recruitment of other individuals, they are still facing separate charges for human trafficking and estafa.

Veloso was caught, jailed and sentenced to death in 2010 after 2.6 kilograms of heroin were found in her suitcase.

“Magandang development ‘yan, kasi dito sa ating proseso sa pagdinig ng mga kaso kailangan magkaroon ng confrontation ng witnesses at tsaka ‘yung accused and the right to cross examine. Naging problema ‘yan dahil si Mary Jane Veloso ay nakakulong sa ibang bansa, sa Indonesia nga (That would be a good development, because in our court proceedings, there should be a confrontation between the witnesses and the accused, and the right to cross examine. That has been a problem because Veloso is imprisoned in another country, in Indonesia),” he said at the Bagong Pilipinas briefing.

“With the intended transfer of Mary Jane to the Philippines, it would facilitate the presentation of witnesses including herself, para makumpleto na ‘yung prosecution ng mga kasong ‘yan nakapending ngayon sa korte (to complete the prosecution of the pending cases now).”

Sergio and Lacanilao are facing more charges after they were positively identified as having recruited Veloso.

Veloso’s supporters are hoping that findings that she was victimized by the two to act as a drug mule would merit leniency from the Indonesian government.

Her execution by firing squad was halted in 2015 after the Philippine government informed Jakarta that her recruiters surrendered.

On Wednesday, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. announced that the Indonesian government has agreed to the Philippines’ request to transfer Veloso to a local prison.