Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — The Department of Justice (DOJ) approved on Thursday (July 9) the filing of illegal recruitment, estafa, and human trafficking charges against the alleged recruiters of convicted drug mule Mary Jane Veloso.
The DOJ found probable cause to indict Cristina Sergio and Julius Lacanilao, who were accused of duping Veloso into serving as a drug mule.
Related: Letters from death row: Mary Jane Veloso writes
The same set of charges will also be filed against a certain “Ike,” who Mary Jane earlier tagged as the one who handed her the bag containing drugs.
Veloso, who is on death row in Indonesia, was arrested upon arriving in Yogyakarta in 2010 with 2.6 kilos of heroin valued at $500,000.
Read: Mary Jane Veloso: Job search ends in death row
Lawyer Edre Olalia, the Veloso family’s legal counsel, said it was about time the Justice department resolved the case against the three. The formal complaint was filed before the DOJ a little over two months ago.
He added that the DOJ’s findings would strengthen chances of saving Veloso, whose execution was suspended on April 29. Justice Secretary Leila De Lima also previously said that showing how Mary Jane was victimized by recruiters could be used as legal grounds to have her sentence commuted.
Also read: Veloso’s execution suspended
The cases against Sergio, Lacanilao, and Ike will be filed in Nueva Ecija. Both Sergio and Lacanilao, on the other hand, were put behind bars for another illegal recruitment case.
Malacañan continues to fight for Veloso’s life
The Palace, meanwhile, said also on Thursday that the fight to save Mary Jane Veloso from execution continued.
Communications Secretary Herminio “Sonny” Coloma Jr. said the Philippine government would inform the Indonesian government of the development in Veloso’s case.
This would be to show that there’s already progress in the case buildup from the time Veloso’s recruiters surrendered, Coloma added.
Related: Mary Jane Veloso’s recruiter surrenders
