No bail for woman who ‘hired’ 14-year-old for prostitution

CEBU, Philippines - The Office of the Cebu City Prosecutor has recommended no bail against a woman for allegedly hiring and maintaining a 14-year-old girl for prostitution.

Prosecutor Noel Cellona, after finding probable cause, held Michelle Ponce for trial for violation of Republic Act 10364, otherwise known as the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act.

“The evidences adduced are contradictory with each other. The respondent and her witnesses strongly denied the allegations of the complainant and in fact adduced motive why complainant would file this complaint. On the other hand, the complainant charged the respondent under oath that the latter pimped her to different men. The evidence adduced is sufficient to prove that the minor complainant went with different men for sex and for fee,” the resolution reads.

The minor said that some time in 2012, while she stayed at Ponce’s house after leaving her own house because of her quarreling parents, she was allegedly pimped by Ponce.

The minor further said Ponce told her to go with two men whom she saw at Ponce’s house. She allegedly refused, but to no avail, after Ponce told her that they would have nothing to eat on the following day and that she’d hurt her if she refused.

After she was taken by one of the men, she was given P200 while Ponce was given P500.

The girl narrated that three days after the first incident, another man arrived and Ponce made her again to go with him.

In her counter-affidavit, Ponce denied the accusations filed against her. She alleged that it was not her who persuaded the girl.

Aside from that, she accused the girl for stealing her money and the jeans of her daughter.

Ponce attached two affidavits including her daughter’s to support her claim.

Cellona said though that the defenses mentioned by the accused be better left in court.

“This office could not conduct trial on the merits to determine who is telling the truth as this avenue is already within the jurisdiction of the court,” the resolution reads.

 Meanwhile, Senator Loren Legarda has committed to continue to support efforts against human trafficking as she lauded improved government performance in curbing the crime.

Legarda, in a statement, made the reaction based on the 2014 Global Slavery Index, which showed the Philippines as number 1 in Asia, number  3 in Asia-Pacific, and number  29 worldwide out of 166 countries in terms of government response against human trafficking.

The report was released by Walk Free Foundation, an Australia-based global human rights organization dedicated to ending modern day slavery. Legarda said that the country is now seeing the benefits of an expanded anti-trafficking law and the strengthened efforts of law enforcement agencies to stop human trafficking.

“But we still have more work to do because the challenges are also getting tougher, especially with the emergence of cyber sex crimes,” said Legarda, principal sponsor of RA 10364.  She said she will continue to give her full support to the Department of Justice, as head of the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking, and the National Bureau of Investigation for the full and effective implementation of the said law.

The lady senator added that she will also support in carrying out a massive information and education campaign against all forms of human trafficking, including cyber pornography. —NSA (FREEMAN)