Case Digest (G.R. No. 187160)
Facts:
- Erlinda A. Sison, also known as "Margarita S. Aguilar," was accused of illegal recruitment and estafa.
- In late 1999, Darvy M. Castuera was introduced to Sison by her husband, Col. Alex Sison, a police officer.
- Col. Sison claimed that his wife could facilitate employment papers for workers in Australia.
- Castuera, influenced by Sison's representations and testimonials, agreed to pay P160,000 for processing his employment as a fruit picker in Australia.
- On June 16, 2000, Castuera paid Sison P80,000 as a down payment, receiving a signed receipt in return.
- Sison failed to secure an Australian visa for Castuera, citing difficulties and suggesting travel to Malaysia instead.
- After multiple travels to Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesia, Castuera's visa application was denied, leaving him stranded.
- He sought assistance from the Philippine Embassy to return home and subsequently filed a complaint against Sison and her co-accused with the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA).
- The POEA confirmed that Sison and her co-accused lacked the necessary licenses for overseas recruitment.
- During the trial, Sison denied the allegations, claiming victimization by her co-accused.
- The Regional Trial Court (RTC) found Sison guilty of illegal recruitment involving economic sabotage and estafa, sentencing her to life imprisonment and a fine of P1,000,000 for illegal recruitment, along with a prison term for estafa.
- Sison appealed the RTC's decision to the Court of Appeals, which affirmed the RTC's ruling.
Issue:
- (Unlock)
Ruling:
- The Supreme Court upheld the Court of Appeals' decision, affirming the RTC's ruling of Sison's guilt for illegal recruitment and estafa.
- The penalty for illegal recruitment was confirmed, while the penalty for estafa was modifi...(Unlock)
Ratio:
- The Court determined that Sison's actions constituted illegal recruitment as defined under Republic Act No. 8042, which prohibits recruitment by non-licensees.
- Evidence indicated that Sison misrepresented her authority to recruit workers for overseas employment, misleading Castuera into believing she could facilitate his job placement in Australia.
- The Court emphasized that illegal recruitment occurs when an individual creates the i...continue reading
Case Digest (G.R. No. 187160)
Facts:
The case involves Erlinda A. Sison, also known as "Margarita S. Aguilar," who was accused of illegal recruitment and estafa. The events leading to the case began in late 1999 when Darvy M. Castuera was introduced to Sison by her husband, Col. Alex Sison, a police officer. Col. Sison mentioned that his wife could facilitate employment papers for workers in Australia. Castuera, encouraged by Sison's representations and testimonials from others she had supposedly helped, agreed to pay her P160,000 for processing his employment as a fruit picker in Australia.
On June 16, 2000, Castuera paid Sison P80,000 as a down payment, for which Sison provided a signed receipt. However, Sison failed to secure an Australian visa for Castuera, claiming it was difficult to obtain one in the Philippines and suggesting they travel to Malaysia instead. After a series of travels between Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesia, Castuera's visa application was ultimately denied. He was left stranded and had to seek assistance from the Philippine Embassy to return home.
Upon his return, Castuera filed a complaint against Sison and her co-accused, Rea Dedales and Leonardo Bacomo, with the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), which confirmed that the accused did not have the necessary licenses to recruit for overseas employment. During the trial, Sison denied the allegations, claim...