Protest held urging CA to allow deposition of Mary Jane Veloso’s testimony


By VIRGIL LOPEZ, GMA News
Relatives and supporters of Filipino death row inmate Mary Jane Veloso on Thursday staged a rally outside the Court of Appeals (CA) urging the tribunal to allow her to testify against her recruiters from her jail cell in Indonesia.
Veloso’s mother, Celia, joined members of Migrante International in asking the CA 11th Division to reverse its decision that set aside the Sto. Domingo, Nueva Ecija Regional Trial Court’s ruling to allow Veloso to testify against alleged recruiters Maria Cristina Sergio and Julius Lacanilao.
The group submitted a letter addressed to CA Presiding Justice Romeo Barza. Attached to the letter is a petition written and reportedly signed by thousands of Veloso’s supporters.
“We urge you to let Mary Jane have her equal opportunity to testify before the judge as you afford Sergio and Lacalinao their constitutionally-guaranteed rights. Let the light of justice prevail by uncovering the truth about the circumstances which led to the continuing suffering of Mary Jane,” the letter stated.
“The People respectfully submits that Mary Jane Veloso, a Filipina OFW convicted of drug trafficking in Indonesia and sentenced to death but granted retrieve, thus, remains under the custody of law in Indonesia, is suffering from an unusual predicament,” the OSG said in its motion.
“Verily, her personal appearance before the trial court for the presentation of her testimony cannot be reasonably expected owing to her detention in an Indonesian jail.”
It also said taking Veloso’s deposition will not violate the rights of Sergio and Lacanilao.
Veloso was sentenced to die by firing squad in April 2015 after she was found guilty of drug trafficking, but Indonesian authorities agreed to hold off the execution so she could testify in the case against her recruiters in the Philippines. — RSJ, GMA News

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