The Supreme Court (SC) has affirmed a Court of Appeals’ (CA) decision which upheld the trial court’s imposition of life imprisonment on a couple who lured a 15-year-old girl into prostitution in 2009 in Batangas City.
In a resolution made public last January 12, the SC said the CA did not commit any reversible error in upholding the conviction of Amelia G. Culis and Marvin C. Culis for violations of Republic Act No. 9208, the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003.
The trial court and the CA found the couple guilty of violations of Section 4 (e) in relation to Sections 6 (a) and 10 (a) of RA 9208. Section 4 (e) provides that it is unlawful for any person, natural or juridical, “to maintain or hire a person to engage in prostitution or pornography;” Section 6 (a) states that the violation is qualified trafficking in persons “when the trafficked person is a child;” and Section 10 (a) prescribes the penalties and sanctions.
On top of the jail term, the SC also affirmed the increase in the moral damages imposed by the CA on the couple – from P75,000 decreed by the trial court to P500,000 – and the additional payment of P100,000 in exemplary damages.
The trial court ordered the payment of P2 million in fine. The CA added a six per cent interest on the fine until fully paid.
The SC, however, deleted the six per cent interest on the P2 million fine except the interest on the monetary award for damages.
The SC resolution stated:
“It is settled that when the victim’s testimony is straightforward, convincing, and consistent with human nature and the normal course of things, unflawed by any material or significant inconsistency, it passes the test of credibility, and the accused may be convicted solely on the basis thereof.
“Therefore, without any corroboration, accused-appellants’ (Amelia and Marvin Culis) denial and alibi cannot overcome the positive and straightforward testimony of the victim. In this case, the prosecution was able to prove all the elements of the crime.”
