Case Digest (G.R. No. 211465) Core Legal Reasoning Model
Core Legal Reasoning Model
Facts:
In People of the Philippines vs. Shirley A. Casio (G.R. No. 211465, December 3, 2014), the accused-appellant Shirley A. Casio was charged under Section 4(a), qualified by Section 6(a) of Republic Act No. 9208 (Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003) for recruiting two minors, AAA (born January 27, 1991) and BBB, for prostitution. On May 2, 2008 at around 1:00 a.m. in Cebu City, police officers of the International Justice Mission–coordinated buy-bust team, with marked money, acted as decoys seeking “girls.” Casio hailed them saying, “Chicks mo dong?” and later returned with the two minors, agreeing to procure their sexual services for ₱500 each. Upon receipt of the marked money in Room 24 of Queensland Motel, officers arrested her in flagrante and rescued the minors, placing them under DSWD custody. At trial, testimonies of PO1 Luardo, PO1 Veloso and AAA established Casio’s role as a procurer, while she testified to an alibi involving strangers seeking “Gingging.” The Regional Case Digest (G.R. No. 211465) Expanded Legal Reasoning Model
Expanded Legal Reasoning Model
Facts:
- Parties and Charge
- Plaintiff-Appellee: People of the Philippines.
- Accused-Appellant: Shirley A. Casio.
- Charge: Violation of R.A. 9208 § 4(a), qualified by § 6(a) (qualified trafficking in persons involving minors).
- Undercover Operation and Arrest
- Date & place: May 2–3, 2008, Barangay Kamagayan (red-light district), Cebu City.
- Operatives: IJM coordinated police team (PSI Ylanan, SPO1 Mendaros, SPO1 Altubar, PO1 Luardo & PO1 Veloso).
- Decoys: PO1 Luardo & PO1 Veloso posed as tour guides, armed with marked money.
- Hotel set-up: Rented adjacent Rooms 24 (transaction) & 25 (holding rescued victims) at Queensland Motel.
- Incident: Accused hailed decoys with “Chicks mo dong?” and recruited minors AAA (17 years old) and BBB for prostitution.
- Transaction: Accused negotiated P500 fee, received marked money in Room 24, signaled team via missed call; operatives arrested her and rescued AAA & BBB.
- Victims’ Background and Testimony
- AAA (b. January 27, 1991) corroborated by birth certificate—17 at incident.
- Employment history: House helper, then boarding house in Cebu; introduced to prostitution by friend Gee Ann.
- Prior exploitation: First customer paid P200 + P500 tip; later peddled in Kamagayan.
- Identification of accused: Recognized Casio as a pimp from previous street solicitations.
- Rescue: Met IJM & DSWD personnel in Room 25; informed she was rescued, not arrested.
- Accused’s Defense
- Claimed occupation: Laundrywoman.
- Alleged alibi: Stopped by two men seeking “Bingbing,” given number to contact “Gingging,” told to fetch companions.
- No evidence: Failed to produce “Gingging” or contradict police/victims’ testimonies.
- Lower Courts’ Decisions
- RTC (Branch 14, Cebu City): Found guilt beyond reasonable doubt; sentenced to 20 years imprisonment and P1,000,000 fine.
- Court of Appeals: Affirmed guilt; modified penalty to life imprisonment, P2,000,000 fine; awarded P150,000 moral damages each.
- Appeal to Supreme Court: Accused’s sole contention—whether guilt was proved beyond reasonable doubt (entrapment validity; lack of trafficking history; victim’s prostitution consent).
Issues:
- Validity of entrapment operation absent prior surveillance and unknown target.
- Sufficiency of evidence to prove trafficking beyond reasonable doubt without showing accused’s history of such offense.
- Proper conviction of trafficking despite victim’s pre-existing engagement in prostitution.
Ruling:
- (Subscriber-Only)
Ratio:
- (Subscriber-Only)
Doctrine:
- (Subscriber-Only)