Prosecution lines up 12 witnesses vs. Veloso recruiters

The prosecution is set to present 12 witnesses in the qualified human trafficking, simple illegal recruitment and estafa cases filed against the alleged recruiters of Mary Jane Veloso, the Filipina sentenced to death in Indonesia for drug trafficking.

According to lawyer Edre Olalia, Veloso's counsel in the Philippines, this was agreed upon during pre-trial proceedings on Wednesday at the Baloc Regional Trial Court Branch 37 in Nueva Ecija.

The defense, meanwhile, would present "at most 17 witnesses," Olalia said.

Facing charges for allegedly duping Veloso into bringing heroin to Indonesia in 2010 are Maria Christina Sergio and Julius Lacanilao. Both have denied they were Veloso's recruiters.

During the pre-trial, Olalia said the defense poked holes in Veloso's affidavit that was executed in Indonesia by claiming that Consul Shirlene Mananquil's signature there was a "forgery" — a claim Olalia described as "audacious."

"The audacious claim of forgery maligns the Philippine consul's honor and assails the integrity not only of Mary Jane Veloso's statement but also the process and efforts to save an innocent victim's life," he said in a text message to GMA News Online.

Olalia also said the defense "stubbornly refused to stipulate and admit that she (Veloso) was arrested, detained, convicted, sentenced to die by firing squad" in Indonesia unless official documents are presented.

"Counsel for the accused claim that without presenting official documents to support these facts, they cannot admit the same based merely on media accounts or reports," he said. —KBK, GMA News