Maria Kristina Sergio — Mary Jane Veloso’s recruiter — claims, ‘Inosente ako’

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“Inosente ako (I am innocent).”

This was the claim made by Maria Kristina Sergio, the woman whom Mary Jane Veloso refers to as “Christine” in her testimonies. Veloso had alleged that Sergio had duped her into transporting 2.6 kilograms of heroin back in 2010.

READ: In her own words: Mary Jane Veloso tells her story

Veloso was arrested at the Yogyakarta airport after Indonesian airport security officials found the heroin sewn into her bag. Veloso had said Sergio was the one who provided her the bag.

Veloso is on death row in Indonesia, expected to be executed by gunfire this week.

Sergio is refuting Veloso’s claims, saying that she recalled the latter acting suspiciously when they were in Malaysia in 2010. They were supposed to stay there for five days, on a tourist visa, to find work for Veloso. 

“She was constantly talking to people on the phone. I didn’t know what it was about. Sometimes she would disappear and I would see her her talking to some men in the hotel lobby restaurant,” Sergio related in Filipino. “I told her not to trust any stranger here.”

According to Sergio, before the five days were over, she received a phone call from Veloso who was told her that she was already at the airport, on her way to another country that she didn’t identify.

Sergio said she had no choice but to return to the Philippines alone. After a few days, she learned about Veloso’s arrest in Indonesia.

But Philippine authorities are not buying Sergio’s statements.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Friday said authorities filed cases of illegal recruitment, human trafficking and estafa against Sergio.

“The case is now with the Department of Justice pending preliminary investigation,” DFA spokesperson Assistant Secretary Charles Jose said.

Sergio has denied being a member of a drug syndicate and likewise expressed her willingness to be investigated. “The truth will come out,” she said. “I am innocent.”

The details of this story are from ABS-CBN News programs, as quoted on ABS-CBNnews.com.