Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — Maria Kristina Sergio and Julius Lacanilao, alleged illegal recruiters of convicted drug mule Mary Jane Veloso, pleaded not guilty to illegal recruitment and estafa charges on Friday (September 18).
Both Sergio and Lacanilao are facing the charges before the Baloc Regional Trial Court Branch 37 in Nueva Ecija for allegedly luring Veloso to travel to Indonesia, with heroin in her suitcase.
Related: Sergio: Mary Jane Veloso is innocent
The lawyers of Veloso submitted evidence in support of the large-scale syndicated illegal recruitment complaint filed by three of Veloso’s neighbors against the two.
Veloso’s lawyers will also submit evidence on November 11 during the pretrial.
Meanwhile, the arraignment for the human trafficking charges were deferred after the camp of the accused filed a motion for particulars or a written statement of charges. Veloso’s private counsel, Edre Olalia, said the move was made to buy time.
Present at the hearing were the parents of Mary Jane, Celia and Cesar. Her sisters Marites and Darling were also there, along with her ex-husband, Michael Candelaria, and her two sons.
Emotions ran high after the hearing, as an uncle of Lacanilao, Raymond Lacanilao, reportedly insulted Candelaria outside the courthouse minutes after the hearing.
According to Candelaria, expletives were thrown against him, but Raymond said the former also hurled profanity at him.
Olalia expressed disdain of the action against his client and said that they will take legal action.
“They insulted my client kaya I am warning them. I want to ask the public attorney: Do you really want to see a kababayan die?” he said.
Celia said that despite the attempts to delay the trial, their family remains strong in their faith.
Related: Veloso’s Indonesian lawyer in PH to gather evidence
Given the speed at which the case is moving, it seems unlikely that the prayers and wishes of her family especially Veloso’s children will be answered. They want their mother to be home by Christmas and added that with prayer and hope any miracle can happen.
CNN Philippines’ Isabella Montano contributed to this report.
