Supreme Court affirms trafficker's life sentence

In a ruling written by Associate Justice Mario Lopez, the high court's Second Division affirmed the conviction of Joemarie Ubanon under Republic Act 9208, the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003, for the qualified trafficking of minors — a crime punishable by life imprisonment.

The case dates back to April 14, 2014, when Ubanon approached two 14-year-olds and a 15-year-old in Bukidnon, promising them work as onion peelers with a monthly salary of P2,500.

Though the minors expressed hesitation and asked to consult their parents, Ubanon pressured them, claiming their employer was waiting, and forced them onto a bus.

Once aboard, the victims were prevented from leaving by the daughter of Amirah Macadatar, the employer of Ubanon's wife.

The minors were then transported to Iligan City and later to Marawi City, where they were dispersed to different households in Lanao del Sur and Iligan to work as unpaid domestic helpers.

Their ordeal ended only when one of the employers contacted Macadatar, who subsequently turned them over to authorities.

Both the Regional Trial Court and the Court of Appeals previously found Ubanon and Macadatar guilty of qualified trafficking, sentencing them to life imprisonment.

Ubanon appealed to the Supreme Court, arguing that there was no evidence he recruited or transported the minors for forced labor.

The Court, however, dismissed his appeal, emphasizing that all elements of qualified trafficking were met.

Under Philippine law, trafficking occurs when individuals are recruited or transported — regardless of consent — through deception, coercion, or abuse of power for exploitative purposes such as forced labor.

The crime escalates to qualified trafficking when victims are minors, warranting life imprisonment.

"The law is clear: the recruitment and transportation of minors alone constitute trafficking," the Court said. It found that Ubanon exploited the victims' youth and financial vulnerability, lured them with false promises, and facilitated their transfer to exploitative conditions where they were never compensated.

In addition to life imprisonment, Ubanon was ordered to pay a P2 million fine and provide P600,000 in moral damages to each victim.