Cebu court convicts 5 for human trafficking

CEBU CITY, Philippines—Five persons were convicted by a regional trial court in Lapu-Lapu City for trying to recruit young women into prostitution in 2013.

Ronaldo Panuncio and Reynaldo Sampan were meted 20 years imprisonment for violating the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003 (Republic Act No. 9208).

Panuncio and Sampan, who were identified as the “principal accused” in the lawsuit, were ordered by the court to each pay a fine of P1 million.

Their accomplices—Mamelyn Bisoles, Mirasol Aquino and Carmelita Gonida—were sentenced to 15 years imprisonment and were told to pay a fine of P500,000 each.

Judge Anna Marie Militante of the RTC Branch 53 in Lapu-Lapu City last Monday decided on the case after the five pleaded guilty to the charges of human trafficking instead of presenting their witnesses or documents to refute the allegations raised against them.

Since they pleaded guilty, Judge Militante convicted the five of “simple trafficking,” instead of “qualified trafficking,” which would carry the penalty of life imprisonment and a fine of not less than P2 million.

Court records showed that the father of a 16-year-old girl sought the help of the women and children’s protection desk of Lapu-Lapu Police Station 3 after his daughter was taken by recruiters to Manila.

The local police coordinated with the International Justice Mission (IJM), a nongovernmental agency that has been fighting human trafficking, and then alerted the Philippine National Police-National Capital Region sea marshal unit (SMU).

2 victims rescued

On the same day, Panuncio and Sampan were intercepted by the police on board MV St. Gregory of 2GO Travel. Two victims were rescued, including the 16-year-old girl whose father sought the intervention of the police.

The victims and the accused were separately sent back to Lapu-Lapu City.

Bisoles, Aquino, and Gonida were later arrested after they were found to have conspired with the two other accused.

According to the complainant, Bisoles and Aquino, their neighbors in Lapu-Lapu, went to their house and recruited the 16-year-old girl to work in a bar in Manila.

Bisoles allegedly instructed the girl not to reveal her real age but instead claim that she was already 18.

Panuncio and Sampan, on one hand, told the girl that she would work as a dancer in a bar, and that foreign customers could take them to the hotel for sex.

Panuncio promised the girl that she could continue her studies in Manila.

On Aug. 6, Panuncio and Sampan bought ship tickets for the girl and another woman. When they were on board MV St. Gregory, the victims were rescued by the police while the two accused were arrested.