CABANATUAN CITY, Nueva Ecija – The deposition of Mary Jane Veloso, a Filipina who was believed to have been victim of drug trafficking syndicate, is expected to be taken within the first quarter of this year after the regional trial court in Sto. Domingo denied an Omnibus Motion to defer Action and to suspend period to file comment on the proposed questions.
The RTC Branch 88 also required accused Ma. Cristina Sergio and Julius Lacanilao to submit their comment on the proposed deposition questions within 15 days from receipt of the order.
The court set the taking of the deposition of Veloso on April 27, 2017.
Veloso, who was convicted of drug trafficking after being caught with heroin in an Indonesian airport in 2010, has filed criminal charges of estafa and human trafficking against Sergio, Lacanilao and a certain “Ike.”
Lawyer Ephraim Cortez of the National Union of People’s Lawyers (NUPL), who represents Veloso, said they had 15 deposition questions for Veloso . He did not specify.
Celia, Veloso’s mother, said that no member of their family was scheduled to go with the lawyers during the taking of the deposition. She welcomed the latest decision though.
The deposition was an alternative for Veloso’s oral testimony against the accused. She cannot appear before the court as she is jail in Indonesia.
Judge Anarica Castillo-Reyes ruled in favor of the deposition last year but the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) which handles the defense filed a motion for reconsideration on Aug. 24 , saying that allowing it “may expose the entire judiciary into the mockery of justice and judicial processes.” PNA-northboundasia.com