Mary Jane’s Indonesian lawyers in PHL to gather new evidence to save her from death sentence

Three Indonesian lawyers of Mary Jane Veloso on Tuesday met with Philippine state prosecutors in Manila to gather evidence in the hopes of downgrading the death sentence slapped on her for drug smuggling.

In an interview with reporters, one of the foreign lawyers said Veloso's death sentence could be commuted if new evidence could be presented to show that she was a victim of human trafficking.
 
Indonesian lawyer Rudyantho tells journalists at the Department of Justice in Manila on Tuesday, May 12, that his target is to permanently save Mary Jane Veloso from the death penalty in Indonesia. Lia Manalac-Del Castillo
“My target is how we can cancel the death penalty,” said Rudyantho. “If possible we will try everything we can do for Mary Jane.”

The Indonesian lawyer said they have not yet spoken with Veloso since her execution by firing squad was postponed in the wee hours of August 29.

Rudyantho said they had already requested for copies of evidence, including sworn statements, related to the fresh criminal complaints lodged against Veloso's alleged illegal recruiters, Ma. Cristina Sergio and Sergio's live-in partner Julius Lacanilao.

“We will just try to find out the real story. What happened in Kuala Lumpur when Sergio recruited her to Kuala Lumpur and sent her to Indonesia,” said Rudyantho.

Veloso, in an affidavit in March, claimed Sergio recruited her to work in Malaysia in April 2010. Once in Malaysia, however, she was asked by Sergio to bring a luggage to Indonesia.

Veloso was arrested at the Yogyakarta Airport after authorities found 2.6 kilos of heroin sewn into the bag.

Rudyantho, who will return to Indonesia on Thursday, clarified they were not invited by the Philippine government and that it was their own decision to come to the Philippines.

He said they have likeiwse scheduled a meeting with the Philippine National Police.

Sergio and Lacanilao turned themselves in to local police in Nueva Ecija two weeks ago. They were later placed under the PNP's protective custody before they were transferred to the custody of the National Bureau of Investigation.

Both are facing illegal recruitment, human trafficking and estafa charges. —KBK, GMA News

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