have their medical examinations and secure their NBI clearance in Manila accompanied by Buli-e whom she identified as her agent.[22] Complainants were assured by one or both of the spouses that they were licensed to recruit overseas contract workers and that they can deploy workers within two to three months.[23] Complainants were informed by Buli-e and Josefina that deployment for Taiwan is on a first-come, first-served basis and that those who can comply with the requirements, particularly the advance payment of P15,000, shall be deployed first.[24] On different dates from May 1992 to July 1992, complainants handed to Buli-e at Sanitary Camp, Baguio City their advance payments of P15,000 for which they were issued receipts.[25] Mangili paid P11,000 on May 22, 1992 and P4,000 on June 18, 1992.[26] The Oratil brothers paid P15,000 each in installments from May 1992 to July 15, 1992.[27] Macli-ing paid P15,000 on July 12, 1992.[28] Fias-eo gave Buli-e P15,000 on July 13, 1992.[29] In addition to her previous payments amounting to P9,000, Lampoyas paid Buli-e P5,000 also on July 13, 1992.[30] Estay gave P15,000 on July 21, 1992[31] while Agapito paid Buli-e P15,000 on July 22, 1992.[32] Buli-e assured complainants that she delivered the payments to Josefina. Aside from giving the downpayment of the placement fee, complainants complied with the rest of the requirements which included submission of pictures, bio-data, passports, NBI clearances and medical examination reports. After months of waiting and despite compliance with all the requirements, complainants were not deployed abroad as promised by appellants. From August 1992 to February 1993, complainants trooped to Buli-es house but Buli-e merely kept on telling them to wait. When complainants called up Josefina by long distance telephone, they were also told just to wait. Weary of the interminable waiting, complainants went to the POEA office in Baguio City on February 2, 1993, to check whether appellants were indeed licensed to recruit overseas contract workers. They were dismayed to find out that appellants had no license to recruit in Baguio City or any part of the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR). On the same day, complainants filed their complaints with the POEA-CAR and the Prosecutors Office of Baguio City. After appellants were apprehended and during their detention at the Baguio City Jail, Josefina, through counsel, refunded complainant Fias-eo P15,000 for his downpayment on the placement fee.[33] Complainant Mangili also demanded a refund and he was paid by Josefina, again through her counsel, the sum of P25,000 for his advance payment of P15,000 and as reimbursement of the actual expenses he incurred for his application.[34] During trial, Buli-e testified that she worked for RSI and had been referring applicants to the agency before 1991. She met Josefina a year after she resigned from RSI.[35] In 1990, Buli-e had an applicant for Singapore, a certain Prescilla Laoayan from Baguio City. Buli-e referred Prescilla to RSI which, through Mrs. Fe Go, handled the processing of her application. As part of the requirements of the agency, Prescilla had to undergo training at the house of Josefina, who was then the Marketing Director of RSI. In 1991, Josefina sent Buli-e a note, through Prescilla, telling her to go to the