The charge sheet and supporting documents were brought by Sol Solis of the DOJ prosecution service. He was assisted by Prosecutor Julius Ceasar Mustard of the Nueva Ecija Provincial Prosecutor’s Office.
The case was docketed as Case SD (15) 3666. The offense is large scale illegal recruitment committed in violation of Sec. 6 in relation to Section 7 (A) of R.A. 8042 otherwise known as “Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995.”
Peter Esguerra, docketing clerk at the RTC office of the clerk of court here said the case will be raffled among the judges of the three RTC branches here Thursday.
Fourteen persons were named complainants of the case. They are Cesar Veloso, Celia Veloso, Maritess Laurente, Lorna Mitch Valino, Ana Marie Gonzales, Elridge Posadas, Daisy de Luna, Rosqalie Pascual, Teresita Candelaria, Meryliza Barrientos, Jenalyn Paraiso, Patricia Reyues, and Flora May Ladrillano.
They are all Nueva Ecija residents. Cesar and Celia Veloso are parents of Mary Jane while Maritess Laurente is her elder sister.
Their affidavits which detailed how the alleged offense were committed against them by the two respondents were taken by the NBI Task Force on Anti-trafficking in Persons and are attached to the charge sheet.
The charge sheet was signed by State Assistant Roland Estepa and was approved by Prosecutor General Claro Arellano.
Last month, Sergio and Lacanilao showed up at the Nueva Ecija Police Headquarters in Cabanatuan City and sought protective custody for alleged threats to their lives sent by Mary Jane’s husband and parents.
Their appearance at the PNP headquarters prompted the publication worldwide of the story saying Mary Jane’s recruiter “surrendered” to Philippine authorities. Her “surrender” was believed to have given compelling reason for Indonesian President Joko Widodo to order the temporary reprieve of Mary Jane’s execution.
The duo was subsequently detained by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for the reported coming out of a number of persons allegedly victimized by them for illegal recruitment.
Sergio, 47, whose maiden name is Ma. Christine Gulles Pasadilla, hails from Nabua, Camarines Norte. She took up a bachelor’s degree in management at the Camarines Norte Polytechnic College graduating with cum laude honors. She was also feature editor of the college’s paper while she was a student.
She left her husband and six children to work abroad in 2007. After two years, she went home and worked in different offices in Metro Manila where he met Julius Lacanilao.
She and Lacanilao became live-in partners and stayed in Barangay Esguerra, Talavera, Nueva Ecija.
It was Julius who introduced Mary Jane to Maria Kristina. That time in 2010, Mary Jane had just returned to Talavera, where she used to stay with estranged husband Julius Candelaria, after ten months of stay in Dubai. She said she cut short her two-year contract as a domestic helper allegedly because of a rape attempt by her employer.
Sergio said Mary Jane asked her to help her get employment as a domestic helper in Malaysia, which the former agreed. She added she helped Mary Jane work out her travel documents, and even gave her P10,000 pocket money and plane ticket, for their travel together to Malaysia on April 22, 2010.
She said she also financed Mary Jane’s stay for three days in Malaysia while they were scouting for another job due to an alleged failure to secure the first promised job to her.
Sergio alleged that Mary Jane, with the help of unknown persons, went to Indonesia where she was accosted in the Yogyakarta airport carrying 2.6 kilogram of heroin. She was subsequently sentenced to death for her offense.
