Convicted traffickers bring case to higher court

CEBU, Philippines - After their conviction, two accused of human trafficking have appealed their case before the Court of Appeals (CA) in Cebu City.

Judge James Stewart Ramon E. Himalaloan, acting presiding judge of the Regional Trial Court Branch 24 issued on December 27, 2013 an order for the transmittal of records to the CA.

Himalaloan had earlier convicted Dahlia Alibay and Joan Ortiz of trafficking in persons, a violation of Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act, for allegedly recruiting three women for the purposes of prostitution.

“The court found that the prosecution has proved positively and categorically that both accused has committed the specific act of hiring three women for prostitution,” the decision read.

Himalaloan then sentenced both accused to serve life imprisonment and ordered to pay P2 million as fine and P100,000 as damages per trafficked victim.

The case stemmed from an entrapment operation that led to the arrest of the accused.

On October 24, 2007, the Cebu City police conducted an operation in Barangay Kamagayan in collaboration with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the assistance of the International Justice Mission (IJM) on the alleged report that accused “regularly trafficked young women in Kamagayan.”

The prosecution presented police officers and two victims as witnesses. They stated that on October 24, 2007, accused recruited three young women to provide services to customers who turned out to be police officers.

After the transaction was consummated, the police officers arrested both accused for a violation of Republic Act 9208.

Alibay and Ortiz denied involvement in the crime. To substantiate their claimed, a barangay official was presented as defense witness.

But the court found both accused guilty beyond reasonable doubt for a violation of human trafficking for hiring women for the purposes of prostitution.— /GMR (FREEMAN)