PHL may still push for new judicial review on Veloso case –DFA

The Philippine government will press the Indonesian government for another judicial review on Mary Jane Veloso's case if ever her alleged recruiters are convicted by the court, Foreign Affairs spokesman Charles Jose said Monday.
"Para sa atin, mahalaga na ipagpatuloy natin yung kaso laban sa recruiters at handa na ring kunin ang testimony ni Mary Jane," Jose told "QRT" in an interview.
"Kung mapapatunayan po pagkatapos ng kaso na inosente si Mary Jane at isa lamang po siyang biktima, maaaring gamitin ito para mag-request tayo ng panibagong judicial review," he added.
Veloso, a mother of two, was convicted for bringing 2.6 kilograms of heroin to the Yogyakarta Airport in 2010. Her execution by firing squad was put on hold last year to allow her to testify against the recruiters who allegedly duped her into bringing the illegal drugs to Indonesia.
The two recruiters, Ma. Cristina Sergio and Julius Lacanilao, are facing charges of illegal recruitment, human trafficking and estafa at the Baloc Regional Trial Court in Nueva Ecija.
Veloso has claimed that she was duped into bringing heroin to Indonesia by Sergio and Lacanilao when the three of them went to Malaysia in 2010. Lacanilao was Sergio's live-in partner.
"Ang understanding natin, hahayaan po nating umandar yung kasong na-file against sa recruiters para malaman yung tunay na role ni Mary Jane sa kasong ito," Jose said. "Kung mapapatunayang inosente siya, magri-request po tayo ng panibagong judicial review."
A Jakarta Post report on Monday said President Rodrigo Duterte gave Indonesian President Joko Widodo the "go-ahead" for Veloso's execution during their meeting in Indonesia last week.
Malacañang, on the other hand, denied this, saying what Duterte told Widodo was he will not interfere if Indonesia follows its own rules.  —KBK, GMA News

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