Convicted drug mule Mary Jane Veloso, who is on death row in Indonesia, may finally be able to testify against her two recruiters on Dec. 12.
Veloso’s lawyer Edre Olalia said Presiding Judge Anarica Castillo-Reyes of Nueva Ecija Regional Trial Court, Branch 88, has tentatively set the date of Veloso’s deposition on Dec. 12 against her alleged illegal recruiters Maria Cristina Sergio and Julius Lacanilao, who are facing criminal charges of human trafficking, illegal recruitment and swindling.
“Philippine trial court tentatively set on Dec. 12, 2019 the taking of Mary Jane’s testimony as the last prosecution witness by way of deposition through written interrogatories in Indonesia,” Olalia said.
However, Olalia admitted that this is still “subject to the resolution of the intended motion for reconsideration of the Philippine Supreme Court decision allowing her to do so to be filed by her accused recruiters through the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO); the resolution of the PAO’s pending Motion to Defer Action before the trial court; as well as the result of bilateral arrangements and preparations to implement it between the Philippines and Indonesian authorities.”
The 34-year-old Veloso was given the chance to testify against her recruiters after the Supreme Court (SC) affirmed the decision of the Nueva Ecija RTC that she could make the deposition by written interrogation.
The SC had also ordered that the deposition of Mary Jane be taken before the Philippine Consular Office and officials in Indonesia pursuant to the Rules of Court and principles of jurisdiction.
As for the case of qualified illegal recruitment filed separately by three other Filipinas against the two recruiters Sergio and Lacanilao, the lawyer said it had been concluded and submitted for decision. It is expected that the promulgation on this separate case to come by Jan. 30, 2020.
Veloso is currently detained in Indonesia and is facing the death penalty after she was arrested in April 2010 at Yokyakarta airport for bringing in 2.6 kilograms of heroin in a suitcase.
She was supposed to be executed by firing squad in 2015 but the sentence was suspended after Philippine authorities informed their counterparts that her recruiters are already under police custody.