By Moira Encina
Eagle News Service
The parents of Mary Jane Veloso, who is on death row in Indonesia, have asked the Supreme Court to allow for the out-of-court testimony of their daughter against her alleged illegal recruiters, who are facing a case for large-scale illegal recruitment in a Nueva Ecija court.
In their petition, Cesar and Celia Veloso asked the High Court to reverse the decision of the Court of Appeals that ruled that allowing the deposition would violate the right to due process of Maria Cristina Sergio and Julius Lacanilao.
According to the CA, the accused also have the right to cross-examine the witnesses testifying against them.
It added that based on the Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters of which the Philippines and Indonesia are signatories, the government of the Philippines may ask the Indonesian government for permission so Veloso could travel to the Philippines and testify in court.
In line with this, the Velosos also asked the High Court to stop the Sto. Domingo, Nueva Ecija Regional trial Court Branch 88 from holding hearings on the case filed against Lacanilao and Sergio until their daughter’s deposition is allowed.
