MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court (SC) has allowed convicted drug mule Mary Jane Veloso to testify against her recruiters through deposition from Indonesia where she has been behind bars since her arrest in 2010. In its decision, the SC also junked a Court of Appeals (CA) ruling that barred her from doing the same in December 2017. Domingo, Nueva Ecija Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 88 on Dec. 13, 2017 that granted the prosecution’s motion on Aug. 16, 2016, allowing Veloso to testify against her recruiters from Indonesian prison. The SC also noted that the RTC did not gravely abuse its discretion when it allowed Veloso to testify, given her condition in Indonesia. Veloso’s recruiters and former hometown neighbors, Maria Cristina Sergio and Julius Lacanilao, reportedly offered her a job as a domestic helper supposedly in Malaysia.

Source: Philippine Star October 11, 2019 15:56 UTC