THE National Union of People's Lawyers (NUPL) has expressed disappointment over the recent Court of Appeals (CA) ruling barring Mary Jane Veloso, the Filipina detained in Indonesia for drug trafficking, from testifying against her alleged recruiters through a deposition.
In a statement on Friday, the NUPL said: "We are dissappointed that the taking of her material testimony is being prevented by our own courts, the Court of Appeals in particular, upon motion of the accused illegal recruiters defense team."
"This injunction is both frustrating and ironic."
News reports on Friday stated that the CA granted the petition filed by Veloso's recruiters Ma. Cristina Sergio and Luis Lacanilao to reverse the ruling of the Nueva Ecija Regional Trial Court (RTC), allowing the Philippine Consulate in Indonesia to secure Veloso's deposition from her cell in Wirongunan Penitentiary in Indonesia.
The CA held that the Veloso should be presented in a trial if she will testify against her recruiters, a move that seemed impossible as Veloso had been detained and sentenced to death by the Indonesian court for drug smuggling in 2010.
The NUPL stressed that no fundamental right will be violated if Veloso will be allowed to testify against her alleged recruiters, who are both facing human trafficking along with other charges for duping the former to smuggle illegal drugs, as the concerned judicial officials from the Philippines and Indonesia, Veloso's legal counsel and the judge hearing the case would be present during the proceeding.
"Besides, the 130 or so questions of fact have been furnished both the court and the defense who can ask their own cross-interrogatories, all of which in turn will all be given the weight and sufficiency they warrant," added the NUPL.
The supposed recruiters of Veloso argued before the CA that allowing the latter to testify would violate their right to directly examine the witnesses against them under section 14, paragraph 1 of the 1987 constitution.
The CA has agreed to this, stressing that cross-examination of the witnesses should be done orally in an open court.
The NUPL said they will coordinate with the Philippine Public Prosecutors and the Office of the Solicitor General in their efforts to seek the reversal of the CA's ruling.
It said that the Court should let Veloso to speak, to shed light on the truth.
"Just let her speak out and let her story stand on its own. Or shall we wait for her to be sent to the gallows with her mouth gagged?"
Veloso has been saved from execution for numerous times.
Her last scheduled execution on April 29, 2015 had been postponed after then President Benigno Aquino III appealed for clemency on the basis that Veloso's testimony could be used to prosecute her alleged recruiters. (SunStar Philippines)