Veloso kin to pursue charges vs recruiters

The statement of Mary Jane Veloso’s alleged recruiters that she was innocent of the charges against her was not enough for her family.

In a 13-page reply filed with the Department of Justice (DOJ) yesterday, the parents and sister of Mary Jane insisted on pursuing charges of illegal recruitment, human traffi and swindling against Maria Cristina Sergio and her partner, Julius Lacanilao.

They asked investigating Assistant State Prosecutor Susan Azarcon to reject the counter-affidavit of the two and recommend the filing of the cases in court.

“It is undeniable that the version of Sergio and Lacanilao was tailor-made to fit their claim of innocence,” read the pleading.

The complainants cited for instance the claim of Sergio and Lacanilao that they just helped Mary Jane find a job abroad by lending her money for her expenses.

“How could they lend Mary Jane if their source of income is unknown even in their town? Even Sergio’s claim that she was a consultant with Century Properties was denied by the firm in a certification last May 6 by their lawyer, Elvis Uy,” they argued.

“Sergio was correct in admitting that Mary Jane is innocent and had no idea she was carrying illegal drugs to Indonesia. But it does not mean that Sergio and Lacanilao have no liability under the law for the ordeal of Mary Jane,” they further stressed.

In her affidavit submitted to the DOJ last week, Sergio said Veloso fell prey to two “dark skinned, curly-haired men” she identified as Ike and John while they were in Malaysia in April 2010 to look for a job.

Sergio said she believes that Veloso was a victim who “was taken advantage of because she didn’t know any better, was in dire need of a job, and because of her tendency to trust people, even strangers.”

She said she believes “Mary Jane did not know that she would be asked to bring a suitcase instead of handcarry luggage by the dark-skinned man and that she did not know that she was made to bring illegal drugs.”

The public attorneys of Sergio and Lacanilao said their statements could make them state witnesses in the drug case in Indonesia.

While saying Veloso was innocent, the alleged recruiters denied the charges against them. They said they only helped her find a job abroad.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima and Mary Jane’s lawyer, Edre Olalia, believed that Sergio’s affidavit could be used as evidence to prove Veloso’s innocence and help in the bid to save her from death row through clemency.