People of the Philippines Vs. Nancy Lasaca Ramirez a.k.a. "Zoy" or "Soy" G.R. No. 217978. January 30, 2019

People of the Philippines Vs. Nancy Lasaca Ramirez a.k.a. "Zoy" or "Soy" G.R. No. 217978. January 30, 2019

Leonen

https://elibrary.judiciary.gov.ph/thebookshelf/showdocs/1/65006

Issues
The elements of trafficking in persons can be derived from its definition under Section 3 (a) of Republic Act No. 9208, thus:

(1) The act of "recruitment, transportation, transfer or harbouring, or receipt of persons with or without the victim's consent or knowledge, within or across national borders."

(2) The means used which include "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 person, or, the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another["]; and

(3) The purpose of trafficking is exploitation which includes "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." The victim's consent is rendered meaningless due to the coercive, abusive, or deceptive means employed by perpetrators of human trafficking. Even without the use of coercive, abusive, or deceptive means, a minor's consent is not given out of his or her own free will.

The prosecution established that on the night of December 5, 2009, accused-appellant approached PO1 Nemenzo and offered him the sexual services of four (4) girls, two (2) of whom were minors, for P2,400.00. The police operation had been the result of previous surveillance conducted within the area by the Regional Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force. Both minor victims testified that this incident was not the first time that accused-appellant pimped them out to customers, and that any payment to them would include the payment of commission to accused-appellant

Decisions
WHEREFORE, the Appeal is DISMISSED. The Court of Appeals October 23, 2014 Decision in CA-G.R. CEB-CR HC No. 01655 is AFFIRMED with MODIFICATION. Accused-appellant Nancy Lasaca Ramirez a.k.a "ZOY" or "SOY" is found GUILTY beyond reasonable doubt of having violated Republic Act No. 9208, Section 4(e), as qualified by Section 6(a). She is sentenced to suffer the penalty of life imprisonment and to pay a fine of Two Million Pesos (P2,000,000.00). She is further ordered to pay Five Hundred Thousand Pesos (P500,000.00) as moral damages and One Hundred Thousand Pesos (P100,000.00) as exemplary damages to each of the minor victims, AAA and BBB.