3 ‘human traffickers’ get life imprisonment

CEBU, Philippines - The Regional Trial Court has sentenced three people to suffer life imprisonment after it found them guilty of trafficking seven minors from Cebu City to Ubay town in Bohol in 2011.

RTC Branch 24 Judge Jose Nathaniel Andal has found Manuel Peñafort, Agripina Diana and Jemel Geonzon guilty of qualified trafficking in violation of Republic Act 9208 or Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act.

They were ordered by the court to pay each of the seven victims a total of P2.6 million in fine as well as moral and exemplary damages.

The accused together with Jhoanna Fontanilla were arrested in November 2011 during a joint operation conducted by the Philippine National Police (PNP)-Regional Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force, Department of Social Welfare and Development, and International Justice Mission.

Fontanilla, however, was acquitted by the court for lack of evidence.

The accused were engaged in recruiting, transporting, hiring and maintaining minors for "purposes of prostitution and sexual exploitation."

Investigation revealed that the victims were housed by the accused in cottages near Alping's KTV Bar in Ubay, Bohol.

The bar was owned by Peñafort and Diana. Geonzon, on the other hand, served as the bar's cashier and also acted as pimp to the minors.

The minors were recruited from Cebu City and were allegedly sold for sex to customers for P1,500. According to the police, the victims were held in debt bondage, forcing them to work until they can pay off the cost of their transportation, food and lodging. (FREEMAN)