Case Digest (G.R. No. 126933)
Facts:
People of the Philippines v. Iluminada Delmo Valle y Soleta, G.R. No. 126933, February 23, 2001, the Supreme Court First Division, Pardo, J., writing for the Court. The plaintiff-appellee is the People of the Philippines; the accused-appellant is Iluminada Delmo Valle y Soleta (also referred to as "Ada").By two informations filed April 23, 1996, with the Regional Trial Court (RTC), Makati City, the Department of Justice charged accused with illegal recruitment in large scale for recruiting numerous persons for employment in London and collecting placement/processing fees without the required POEA license. The informations (Criminal Case Nos. 96-924 and 96-925) alleged that from July/August 1995 to March 1996 accused represented she could secure jobs abroad, charged fees ranging from P4,000.00 to P6,000.00 (and a P120,000 placement fee payable by salary deduction), videotaped applicants, and required recruits to bring others so the required quota would be met.
Accused pleaded not guilty at arraignment (May 2, 1996). A joint trial followed. Complainants testified identifying accused as the person who promised employment and received fees; they later checked with the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) and secured certifications that accused was not licensed to recruit for overseas employment. The National Bureau of Investigation investigated; accused was entrapped and arrested, and NBI officers prepared affidavits recommending prosecution.
At trial accused denied acting as a recruiter and claimed she merely assisted a licensed agency, Claire Recruitment and General Services (CRGS); she did not present CRGS’s owner/operator to corroborate this. On August 15, 1996, the RTC (Branch 65, Makati City) convicted accused of large-scale illegal recruitment, sentenced her to life imprisonment, imposed a P100,000 fin...(Subscriber-Only)
Issues:
- Was accused proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt of illegal recruitment in large scale under the Labor Code?
- Was the penalty imposed by the trial court appropriate under the applicable provisions of the...(Subscriber-Only)
Ruling:
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Ratio:
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Doctrine:
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