6/9/2020 E-Library - Information At Your Fingertips: Printer Friendly T.M. Kalaw in Manila for their flight schedule. When they went to the Singapore Airlines office to verify, they were given a computerized document indicating their names, flight schedule and their status as “waitlisted” passengers.[12] Appellant was able to make them believe that the computerized documents would suffice for them to leave for Singapore. At this point, appellant was again able to collect money from the complainants. They were supposed to meet the day before their supposed date of departure but appellant failed to show up, hence the complainants decided to proceed to the airport to confirm their flight. They found out that their reservation was not confirmed and no plane tickets had been purchased for them. Thereafter, appellant did not show up anymore. It was after about a year later when complainants learned that appellant had been arrested and was detained at the NBI. They went to the NBI office and identified appellant. As a consequence, a complaint was thereafter filed against the latter.[13] Appellant, as was to be expected, denied the charges. He interposed an alibi for his defense. He averred that he is a businessman engaged as a meat dealer, and that he had his own slaughterhouse. During the month of February, 1989, he was regularly buying meat from Batangas with four companions. They purchased cows and pigs in the morning and butchered them in the afternoon, and the meat was delivered the following morning to Divisoria. His usual routine started in the afternoon and ended at midnight. Sometimes, he also supervised the business of his aunt, Josephine Tan, who owns the stalls he was using in Divisoria.[14] He further claimed that on March 15, l990, he was arrested while delivering live cows at Masilo, Malabon, and he was then detained at the NBI. On March 22, l990, he was taken out from his detention cell for identification by the complainants.[15] He denies having been engaged in recruitment for overseas employment, claiming that he did not know the three complainants until their confrontation at the office of the NBI in the National Capital Region. The Court a quo eventually rendered its decision on August 18, l992, finding herein appellant guilty of the charges beyond reasonable doubt, and disposing as follows: “WHEREFORE, premises considered, accused NESTOR MAÑOZCA y ALMARIO is found guilty by this Court of Illegal Recruitment in Large Scale in Criminal Case No. 90-13962 and is hereby sentenced to suffer a penalty of life imprisonment and to pay a fine in the sum of P100,000.00. He is likewise found guilty of two counts of Estafa in Criminal Case No. 90-13963 and 9013964 and is hereby sen(t)enced to serve two prison terms of four (4) months and one (1) day of arresto mayor as minimum to four (4) years, two (2) months and one (1) day of prision correc(c)ional as maximum and to reimburse Norlito Hular the sum of P12,636.00 with legal rate of interest from (the) date (the) Information is filed in Court, to pay Arnulfo Caampued the sum of P15,000.00 in actual damages (with) the same legal interest from the date (the) Information is filed in Court and to pay the costs.��[16] elibrary.judiciary.gov.ph/thebookshelf/showdocsfriendly/1/34555 4/9