A step closer to full justice: Indigenous people rights defender acquitted of charges

MANILA — Indigenous people rights defender was cleared of the charges of unjust vexation and maltreatment by Antipolo City Municipal Trial Court in Cities (MTCC) Branch 1. 

The court affirmed on July 31 that IP defender Niezel Velasco was not the same person as the accused, Mary Jane Velasco or Mary Jane Someja, and did not use those aliases, and vice versa.

The Antipolo MTCC found that “the movant Niezel Duaso Velasco-Agudo is not the same Mary Jane Someja, a.k.a. Mary Jane Velasco, the accused in these cases. Accordingly, she is discharged therefrom.”

Previously, Velasco also faced charges of estafa, which was dismissed by Quezon City Metropolitan Trial Court (MeTC) Branch 34 on July 3.

Beverly Longid, national convener of Katribu Kalipunan ng Katutubong Mamamayan ng Pilipinas, said that they welcome this decision by the Antipolo MTC and this is “yet another affirmation of Niezel’s innocence and a step closer to full justice.”

Last July 16, 2021, Niezel Velasco, along with Julieta Gomez, Lumad-Manobo woman leader, was arrested after joint police-military units raided their house in Quezon City.

They were accused of murder, attempted murder, illegal possession of firearms and explosives and spent nearly four years detained.

Read: Activists arrested in Quezon City are humanitarian workers – group

On April 8, their charges were eventually dismissed due to lack of evidence. They were also acquitted from the murder and attempted murder charges by a court in Agusan del Sur in 2022 and 2023 respectively.

But Velasco’s legal troubles continued even after her acquittal. She was rearrested and charged anew with estafa, unjust vexation, and maltreatment, this time under the alias “Mary Jane Velasco.”

Read: Groups demand dismissal of charges vs IP rights defender

Longid believes that Niezel is a victim of the systematic targeting of activists, where state forces file baseless cases under aliases and recycled warrants to silence human rights defenders.

“We demand accountability for those responsible for weaponizing the law against human rights defenders. The years stolen from Niezel and Julieta, years of freedom, family, and service, cannot be given back, but we can ensure that these injustices do not continue.” (RVO)

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