‘Recruiters’ of Veloso Face Arraignment Over Trafficking
MANILA: The arraignment for the human trafficking charge against Mary Jane Veloso’s alleged illegal recruiters will proceed next week in Nueva Ecija, the counsel for the family of the Filipina sentenced to death for drug trafficking in Indonesia has said.
Maria Cristina Sergio and Julius Lacanilao will be arraigned on November 11 in Nueva Ecija, Atty. Edre Olalia, secretary general of the National Union of People’s Lawyers, was quoted as saying by ABS-CBN News.
“The arraignment for the trafficking charge shall proceed on Nov. 11 even as the trial for the large scale syndicated illegal recruitment filed will finally start on even date. Also, the pre-trial for the illegal recruitment charge and estafa filed by Veloso will likewise proceed on the same day,” Olalia reportedly said.
Olalia reportedly relayed that the Nueva Ecija Regional Trial Court in an Order dated October 23, denied the groundless and unreasonable Motion for Bill of Particulars filed by the alleged recruiters of Veloso.
“The malefactors claimed that the charges are purportedly not clear enough and do not make out a case of qualified human trafficking and moved that their arraignment be deferred. The said Motion was vehemently opposed and disputed by the Prosecution,” Olalia was quoted as saying.
Olalia said the accused have also questioned before a higher court the denial by the trial court of their earlier motions to quash the large scale syndicated illegal recruitment charges filed by their other victims.
Veloso, a mother of two, was spared from the firing squad in April this year. She was arrested in 2010 for smuggling 2.6 kilos of heroin into Indonesia, reported ABS-CBN News.