MANILA, Philippines – Maria Cristina Sergio, the woman accused of duping Indonesian death row convict Mary Jane Veloso into smuggling drugs, said she believes Veloso is innocent.

“Ako ay buong pananalig at naniniwalang inosente si MARY JANE VELOSO sa kasong pagdadala ng illegal na droga na mula Malaysia patungo ng Indonesia kung saan kinakaharap niya ang parusang bitay sa Indonesia,” Sergio said in a sworn statement signed on May 18, Monday.

(I fully believe that Mary Jane Veloso is innocent in the case lodged against her for smuggling illegal drugs from Malaysia to Indonesia, which led to her death sentence in Indonesia.)

But Sergio, currently detained in the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), insisted she did not recruit Veloso and said she and her partner, Julius Lacanilao, in fact lent Veloso and her partner, Michael Candelaria money so Veloso would be able to fly to Malaysia and find a job.

Sergio turned herself over to police on April 28, 2015, the same day Veloso was scheduled to be executed via firing squad. The Filipina’s execution was put on hold following last-minute pleas from President Benigno Aquino III himself and Sergio’s “surrender.”

“Ako ay naniniwalang hindi talaga alam ni Mary Jane Veloso na bigla siyang pagdadalahin ng maleta imbes na hand-carry bag lamang, ng mga nakipag-usap sa kanya na mga lalaking maiitim ang balat at hindi rin niya ito alam na siya ay pinagdala ng ipinagbabawal na droga,” Sergio said in her affidavit.

(I believe Mary Jane did not know that she would be asked to bring a suitcase instead of hand-carry luggage by the dark-skinned man and that she did not know that she was made to bring illegal drugs.)

She continued: “Ako ay naninindigan na si Mary Jane Veloso ay nabiktima lamang at pinagsamantalahan ang kanyang kahinaan sa pag-iisip, masidhing pangangailanan ng trabaho at ang kanyang likas na angkin nya mapagtiwala sa mga tao, kahit hindi niya kilala.” (READ: The story of Mary Jane Veloso, in her own words)

(I firmly believe Mary Jane Veloso was a victim and was taken advantage of because she didn’t know any better, was in dire need of a job, and because of her tendency to trust people, even strangers.)

‘Mary Jane just a victim’

So who is really to blame? According to Sergio’s narration, two “dark skinned, curly-haired” men were bugging Sergio and Veloso just outside their hotel in Malaysia.

Sergio and Veloso left the Philippines for Malaysia on April 21, 2010 – Sergio, because she was scheduled to meet a potential employer, and Veloso, because she was desperate to find a job “in any country.” Sergio also claimed that Candelaria, Veloso’s partner, was a known drug pusher in the community, and did not have a stable income. 

On April 24, 2010, while having snacks outside their hotel, the two men approached the two Filipinas and asked if they wanted “to…have friendship.” Sergio said she immediately rejected the two and warned Veloso about making friends with strangers.

When Sergio and Veloso asked for the bill, they found out that it was already paid for by the two men, identified only as “Ike” and “John.” Sergio said she already wanted to return to their hotel room to use the bathroom, but the two wanted to speak to them.

“We are not bad persons, we just want a friendship with you,” the thinner man reportedly told the two.

Sumabat si Mary Jane, “Ate Tin, gusto yata makipagkilala sa atin.” Sinaway ko si kay Mary Jane na: “Hayaan mo na. Delikado makipagkaibigan sa mga foreigner na di kilala.”

(Mary Jane interjected and told me, “Ate Tin, I think they just want to be friends.” I told Mary Jane off and said: “Let them be. It’s dangerous to make friends with foreigners you don’t know.”)

Nagsalita ulit ang payat na lalaki, “Can we just have friendship with you? I am John, and this is Ike.”

(The thinner man told us again, “Can we just have friendship with you? I am John, and this is Ike.”)

Pinakita ko na hindi ako interesado at sinabi ko na “No, it’s ok,” samantalang umupo ulit si Mary Jane.

(I showed them I wasn’t interested and I said “No, it’s okay,” but Mary Jane sat back down.)

Sinabihan ko si Mary Jane na, “O, ano, maiiwan ka pa dyan!? Mag-si-CR na ako. Huwag ka matagal at sumunod ka na sa akin.” Dahil kailangan ko nang umihi, ako ay bumalik na sa aming silid sa hotel para gumamit ng banyo.

(I told Mary Jane, “What, you’re staying behind? I have to go to the toilet. Don’t stay long and follow me back to the room.” I needed to urinate so I went back to our hotel room to use the bathroom.)

Veloso returned to the hotel room 15 to 20 minutes later with good news – she had been offered a job to hand carry luggage to another country, “either Thailand or Singapore.”

Sergio said she again cautioned Veloso and encouraged her to wait for another potential job, this time through another Filipina who was employed by a “Malaysian ambassador.”

‘It’s simple’

Sergio claimed that despite her repeated warnings, Sergio was dead-set on finding a job immediately.

“Basta makahanap lang ako ng trabaho, kahit ano papasukin ko para sa pamilya ko (As long as I find a job, any job – for my family),” Veloso supposedly told Sergio.

The two men called Veloso again and the next day, she left the hotel room for the airport.

Doon ko napagtanto na si Mary Jane Veloso ang taong may ugali na ‘pag naisip niyang may gusto siyang gawin at napagdesisyonan niya na, ay ipipilit niya itong maganap at hindi na siya magpapapigil kahit na ano pang payo ang sabihin sa kanya, kaya niyakap ko na lang si Mary Jane at sinabihan ko siya,”O, God bless you; mag-ingat ka.”

(That’s when I realized that Mary Jane Veloso is the kind of person who cannot be stopped once she sets her mind on something. That’s why I just hugged her and said, “God bless you; take care.”)

Before she left, Veloso asked Sergio to bring a “pasalubong (gift)” of disposable diapers and a box of milk for her young children.

The last time Sergio heard from Veloso was the morning of April 25, 2010. Veloso was already in the airport, bound for Indonesia and was worried because the luggage she was hand carrying — some 20 kilograms – exceeded her allocation.

The next time she heard anything about Veloso was when Sergio returned to the Philippines a few days later. Veloso’s mother-in-law, Maribel Candelaria, said Veloso was able to call her family and that she was “OK.”

“Kaya ipinagpalagay ko na maayos na si Mary Jane at naikwento na sa mga pamilya niya kung nasaan na siya, kaya dumiretso na kaming umuwi sa bahay nila Julius (I assumed that Mary Jane was okay because she was already able to tell her family where she was. That’s why I went straight home),” said Sergio.

It took more than two weeks, Sergio said, before she finally found out the truth – that Veloso had been arrested. She only found out because Veloso’s parents went to their house and accused her of bringing their daughter in harm’s way.

Sergio, when she put herself under the police’s protective custody, said she hoped she could help save Veloso’s life. She has been charged for illegal recruitment, human trafficking, and estafa, as well as large-scale illegal recruitment. (READ: African, two others accused of trafficking Mary Jane) – Rappler.com