4/29/2020
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Appellants were arrested while Azul remained at large.
Appellants pleaded not guilty on arraignment. At the pre-trial, the parties stipulated on
the following facts:
1. Identity of the accused as the same person charged in the information;
2. The jurisdiction of this Honorable Court;
3. That accused was arrested by the operatives of Anti-Illegal
Recruitment Task Force upon information given by the private
complainants;
4. The existence of the following documents: referral letter addressed to
the Office of the City Prosecutor of Mandaluyong City, joint affidavit of
arrest executed by the arresting officers; sworn statement of the
private complainants and booking and information sheet;
5. That accused has no knowledge of the fact that private complainants
[were] repatriated upon arrival in Thailand;
6. That accused was arrested without warrant of arrest by the elements
of Anti-Illegal Recruitment Task Force.[3]
Trial ensued.
The six (6) private complainants, Alvaro Trinidad (Alvaro), Michael Soriano (Michael),
Rebecca Villaluna (Rebecca), Maricel Tumamao (Maricel), Nyann Pasquito (Nyann), and
Cyrus Chavez (Cyrus), testified for the prosecution.
Azul owns Von Welt Travel Agency located in Quezon City, while Tendenilla owns Charles
Visa Consultancy in Intramuros, Manila. Rea is Tendenilla’s employee and babysitter.
Alvaro first came to Von Welt Travel Agency, upon recommendation of a friend, to apply
for employment in the United States. When said employment did not materialize, Azul
introduced him to Tendenilla on 25 June 2005. Tendenilla represented that she can
send Alvaro to work in London. Alvaro gave P114,000.00 to Azul.[4]
Responding to a newspaper advertisement, Michael went to Von Welt Travel Agency to
inquire about a job offer in the United States. Michael was first unable to come up with
the placement fee. He returned one year later and was introduced by Azul to
Tendenilla to discuss the process of employment in London. He initially gave
P70,000.00 to Azul, who handed it to Tendenilla. Before he left, he paid another
P30,000.00.[5]
Alvaro and Michael left for Thailand on 3 July 2005. They were accompanied by Rea to
Malaysia in obtaining a non-immigrant visa. Upon returning to Thailand, they were
transferred into a barrack where they were eventually arrested and deported last 12
August 2005.[6]
elibrary.judiciary.gov.ph/thebookshelf/showdocsfriendly/1/55927
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