Lawyers confident arraignment of Veloso's recruiters to proceed

MANILA, Philippines - The lawyers of the family of Mary Jane Veloso are confident that the arraignment of her recruiters in the criminal cases before the Nueva Ecija court will proceed on Thursday.

 

Lawyer Edre Olalia, national president of the National Union of People's Lawyers (NULP), said the Veloso legal counsels expect their clients Lorna Mitch Valino, Ann Marie Gonzales, Jenalyn Paraiso and Mary Jane's mother-in-law Teresita Candelaria will attend the arraignment.

 

The four are the complainants in the large scale illegal recruitment against Cristina Sergio and Julius Lacanilao.

 

Olalia said he is confident that Gonzales will also appear despite earlier reports that she has already withdrawn from pursuing the case against alleged illegal recruiters Sergio and Lacanilao.  

  

"Gonzales, who was earlier reported to have withdrawn from the case... confirmed and validated her engagement of the legal services of NUPL as her lawyers. She signed her conforme to the Formal Entry of Appearance of NUPL filed in court today," Olalia said. 

 

In the event that Gonzales decides to drop the case, Olalia said NUPL still has witnesses to keep the large scale illegal recruitment raps, a non-bailable offense, going before the court. 

 

Olalia said the arraignment of the cases before the Nueva Ecija Regional Trial Court branch 37 under Judge Nelson Tribiana had been deferred after the lawyers of the accused filed a motion to quash the charges. 

 

After being denied by the judge, the defense lawyers filed a motion for reconsideration.

 

"The private lawyers from NUPL are confident that the same will be denied likewise as it is not only dilatory but unmeritorious," Olalia said. 

 

"We are informed that a warrant of arrest had been issued last week against the accused for the said charges including the non-bailable charge of qualified human trafficking," he added. 

 

The execution of Mary Jane, now sitting in death row in Indonesia for drug trafficking charges, has been indefinitely stayed after Sergio surrendered to Philippine authorities. 

 

She was found guilty by an Indonesian court in 2010 for smuggling illegal drugs. The 30-year-old worker insisted she was a victim of a drug syndicate.