Case Digest (G.R. No. L-154)
Facts:
The People of the Philippines v. Jesus Nuevas, G.R. No. L-154, March 18, 1946, Supreme Court Second Division, Ozaeta, J., writing for the Court.
The appellant, Jesus Nuevas, was charged in the Court of First Instance of Batangas with an offense under Article 341 of the Revised Penal Code (commonly described as the white slave trade provision). The information alleged that the accused engaged in the business of prostitution, profited by prostitution, or enlisted the services of women for the purpose of prostitution.
The prosecution's evidence established that some three to four months before September 22, 1945, the accused contracted the services of four women of ill repute, brought them to and maintained them in a house in Barrio Alangilang, Batangas, furnished them with food and lodging, and received one-half of their earnings derived from intercourse with several "colored soldiers." On the afternoon of September 22, 1945, the house was raided by police; thirteen colored soldiers were found in the house, three being in rooms with girls. The accused was present and, when questioned by Sergeant Angelo Murano of the military police, stated he was left in charge; the women told the police they split their receipts with him. Two of the women, Emilia de la Cruz and Juanita Fernandez, and Sergeant Murano testified to these facts at trial.
The accused testified in his own defense, claiming he was a Manila resident who had gone to the house on September 22, 1945 to collect a debt owed him by the lessee, Moises Santos, and denied ownership or management of the house. The trial court disbelieved his uncorroborated account, credited the testimony of S...(Subscriber-Only)
Issues:
- Was the prosecution required to prove that the accused was the owner or lessee of the house of ill fame, or to identify and prove the house itself to be one of ill fame, to sustain a conviction under Article 341?
- Was the evidence sufficient to show that the accused either enlisted the services of women for prostitution or profited from prostitution so as to conv...(Subscriber-Only)
Ruling:
- (Subscriber-Only)
Ratio:
- (Subscriber-Only)
Doctrine:
- (Subscriber-Only)