People v. Likinon

 

People v. Likinon

G.R. No. 227880

November 6, 2019

FACTS:

                The RTC and CA convicted Ruth Dela Rosa y Likinon for the crime of Qualified Trafficking in persons under RA 9208. That during the period of Feb, 2013 to March 2013 in Angeles Philippines, the accused recruited, transferred, harbored and provided AAA, 16 years old, to Kim Caben for the purpose of prostitution and sexual exploitation, by taking advantage of the vulnerability of the said minor, AAA, thereby demeaning and degrading the child’s intrinsic worth as a human being.

ISSUE:

                Whether or not the CA erred in affirming the RTC.

HELD:

                No. Sec 3 (a) of RA 9208, trafficking in persons can still be committed even if the victim gives consent. Under this law trafficking in persons refers to the recruitment, transportation, transfer or harboring, or receipt of persons with or without the victim’s consent or knowledge, within or across national borders by means of threat or use of force, or other forms of coercion, abduction, fraud, deception, abuse of power or of position, taking advantage of the vulnerability of the persons, or the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person for the purpose of exploitation which includes at a minimum, the exploitation or the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labor or services, slavery, servitude or the removal or sale of organs.

                In this case, accused-appellant was found to have “transferred and provided AAA to Kin in exchange for money, through threats and by taking advantage of her vulnerability.” Accused-appellant failed to forward any arguments that would cast reasonable doubt on her conviction. Accordingly, this Court affirms her conviction.