Charges filed vs recruiter of Filipina on Indonesia death row

Criminal charges have been filed against the alleged recruiter of drug convict Mary Jane Veloso, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Friday.

A certain Kristina “Tintin” Sergio, who remains free in Talavera town, Nueva Ecija province, is said to be the recruiter of Veloso.

Foreign Affairs spokesperson and Assistant Secretary Charles Jose said in a press briefing that charges of recruitment, human trafficking and estafa had been filed against Sergio.

According to Jose, the case is now in the Department of Justice (DOJ) “pending preliminary investigation.”

He said agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) had been to Yogyakarta in Indonesia to talk to Veloso “to get confirmation.”

In 2010, Veloso was arrested in an Indonesian airport after authorities found packs of heroin weighing 2.6 kilograms hidden inside her suitcase.

Veloso was a former domestic helper in Dubai but was offered a job by Sergio in Indonesia. RC