G.R. No. 234157. July 15, 2020.
People of the Philippines, Plaintiff-Appellee, vs. John Paul Lopez y Mayao, Accused-Appellant.

FACTS

Accused-appellant John Paul “Apple” Lopez y Mayao was charged with seven counts of Qualified Trafficking in Persons under Section 4(e) in relation to Section 6(a) of Republic Act No. 9208 (the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003) involving minors AAA (14 years old) and BBB (13 years old). The Informations alleged that on various dates in 2011 in Marikina City, Lopez willfully maintained or hired the minors for a fee to engage in prostitution/sexual exploitation. During trial, AAA’s direct testimony was stricken off the record due to her repeated failure to appear for cross-examination, leading the Regional Trial Court (RTC) to dismiss the five cases involving her. The trial proceeded on the two remaining cases involving BBB. BBB testified that Lopez, whom she met through a cousin, brought her to a McDonald’s restaurant on August 30, 2011, and September 9, 2011. On both occasions, Lopez spoke with a man, after which BBB was instructed to board a taxi with the man to the Grand Polo Motel in Antipolo City where she was forced to have sexual intercourse. Lopez received payment from the men and later gave BBB P1,000.00 after each incident. BBB’s mother reported the incidents after finding her. Lopez denied the allegations, claiming BBB had an ill motive as she was the ex-girlfriend of his current boyfriend. The RTC convicted Lopez for two counts of Qualified Trafficking in Persons against BBB, sentencing him to life imprisonment and a P2,000,000.00 fine for each count, plus damages. The Court of Appeals affirmed the RTC’s decision with modification, imposing legal interest on the damages.

ISSUE

Whether the Court of Appeals erred in affirming the conviction of accused-appellant John Paul Lopez y Mayao for two counts of Qualified Trafficking in Persons.

RULING

The Supreme Court denied the appeal and affirmed the conviction. The Court held that all elements of Qualified Trafficking in Persons under Section 4(e) of R.A. No. 9208 were proven beyond reasonable doubt: (1) the accused maintained or hired a person for the purpose of prostitution or sexual exploitation; (2) the person subjected to trafficking was a child (BBB was 13 years old); and (3) the act was done through means such as taking advantage of the victim’s vulnerability. The Court found BBB’s testimony credible, consistent, and corroborated by the medico-legal report showing “clear evidence of penetrative trauma/force to the hymen.” Lopez’s defense of denial and alleged ill motive on BBB’s part were deemed insufficient to overcome the positive identification and credible testimony of the victim. The penalty of life imprisonment and a fine of P2,000,000.00 for each count, as well as the award of moral damages (P500,000.00) and exemplary damages (P100,000.00) for each count, with legal interest, were upheld.