Woman gets 20 years for human trafficking

CEBU, Philippines – A woman was found guilty of trafficking in persons after she endorsed a minor to a policeman posed as a customer.

The woman was sentenced to 20 years in prison and ordered to pay a fine of less than P1,000,000 but not more than P2,000,000 to the victim.

Judge Rafael Yrastorza of Regional Trial Court Branch 14 said that the evidence presented by the prosecution was strong enough to convict the accused.

The victim said three years during a fiesta celebration in their place in Guihulngan, Negros Oriental, a female cousin asked her if she wanted to work in Mandaue City, Cebu, as a housemaid and she said yes.

The cousin went with her to Mandaue and worked as a maid in the morning and at night watched the Internet of her employer in Basak, Mandaue City.

Since the past two years she has stopped working as a maid since she was already tired of her job and she decided to stay in the house of another cousin in Barangay Pardo, Cebu City, for a week before she transferred to a boarding house along Sanciangko St, Cebu City.

The minor had a friend named a certain "Gee Ann" who worked in a disco club and she applied for work in the club because she wanted to help her father buy a carabao for his farm.

After she accepted the work she then had many customers. Later, Gee Ann brought her to Barangay Kamagayan.

It was there she met the accused who was reportedly a pimp. The minor said the accused gave her P400 for every customer she entertained.

The accused was eventually arrested during an operation conducted by the Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Bureau against persons engaged in human trafficking.

The police took the minor to the Department of Social Welfare and Development. (THE FREEMAN)