DOJ wraps up Mary Jane Veloso probe

The Department of Justice on Monday wrapped up its preliminary investigation on Ma. Cristina Sergio and Julius Lacanilao, the alleged recruiters of Mary Jane Veloso who is on death row in Indonesia for drug smuggling.
 
Assistant State Prosecutor Susan Azarcon submitted the criminal complaints against Veloso and Lacanilao for resolution, after the two submitted their rejoinder denying the criminal charges and offering to help the government to save Veloso.
 
"Wala mang utang na loob ang pamilya Veloso ay buo pa rin ang aming pananaw na igiit na inosente si Mary Jane Veloso sa kasong pagbibitbit ng ilegal na droga mula sa Malaysia patungo sa Indonesia, base sa aking nasaksihan at sa aking mga una nang naisalaysay kung saan si Mary Jane Veloso ay nabiktima lamang ng dalawang maitim na lalaki at kulot ang buhok," read the rejoinder.
 
"Aming iginigiit na handa pa rin kaming makipagtulungan sa ating gobyerno upang mailigtas sa parusang bitay si Mary Jane Veloso," the respondents added.
 
Veloso was supposed to have been executed by firing squad last April 29 in Indonesia, but the execution was postponed to allow her to testify against her alleged illegal recruiters in the Philippines.

Veloso was convicted of sneaking 2.6 kilos of heroin into Indonesia from Malaysia in April 2010.
 
Edre Olalia, lawyer for the Velosos, described Sergio and Lacanilao's rejoinder as "harping again on same old worn out, immaterial, abstract and even absurd legal arguments."
 
"Sergio self-righteously reiterated factual distortions to save her (Sergio) skin," the lawyer added.
 
Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said the Philippine government has already submitted its mutual legal assistance request to Indonesia, which would allow the Philippine government to gain access to additional evidence there to help pursue the cases against the recruiters.
 
"There are really very significant developments na makikita ho ng Indonesia na siniseryoso natin ang mga actions natin in that case," De Lima told reporters in Manila.
 
De Lima also said she has yet to receive any formal request from the Veloso family to place Veloso's husband Michael Candelaria under the Witness Protection Program. 
 
The Veloso family had so far only requested police visibility in their neighborhood in Talavera, Nueva Ecija after suspicious-looking men were earlier spotted in the area. — RSJ, GMA News

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