Eleven (11) Days of prision correccional as MAXIMUM and to pay Adeline
Tiangge y Marcos P17,000.00 for actual damages, plus costs.
"With respect to accused Conchita Tagle in Criminal Cases Nos. 92-CR-1396 and 92CR-1397, let these cases be sent to the files without prejudice to their revival as soon as
she shall have been arrested and brought to the jurisdiction of this Court.
"In order that Conchita Tagle may not escape the clutches of the law, let Alias Warrants
of Arrest issue addressed to the PNP Chief of Police, La Trinidad, Benguet and the
National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in Manila and in Baguio City. Further, the
Commission of Immigration and Deportation (CID), Manila is ordered to include her
name in the its Hold-Departure List.
"SO ORDERED.xxxvii[37]
Appellant filed a motion for reconsideration of the decision asserting that the trial court had erred
in giving credence to the testimonies of the complaining witnesses and in finding her guilty of
the crimes charged despite the "failure" of the prosecution to fully establish the elements of the
crimes beyond reasonable doubt.xxxviii[38] Finding no merit in the motion, the trial court, on 03
April 1995, denied a reconsideration of its decision.xxxix[39] The following day, appellant filed a
notice of appeal.xl[40] The trial court gave due course to the appeal on 17 April 1995.xli[41]
The Instant Appeal. Appellant continues to profess before this Court her innocence of the accusation. She reiterates
her assertion that the trial court has erred in giving credence to the testimonies of the
complaining witnesses and in finding her guilty beyond reasonable doubt of the various offenses
she has been charged with by the prosecution.xlii[42] She avers that her transactions with the
complainants have been limited to her assisting them secure their respective travel visa
specifically for tourist and that her assistance to them (has been) only to refer them to travel
agencies such as the Dynasty Travel and Tours and the Mannings International. She insists that
she has remitted the amounts solicited from the complainants to the travel agencies, or to
Maritess Tapia and Carol Cornelio, earning only the commissions for bringing in clients
interested in getting tourist visas.xliii[43]
At the outset, it might be explained that this appeal involves the conviction of appellant not only
for the crime of illegal recruitment in large scale for which the penalty of life imprisonment is
imposed but also for other offenses for which lesser penalties have been meted by the trial court
upon appellant. This Court has appellate jurisdiction over ordinary appeals in criminal cases
directly from the Regional Trial Courts when the penalty imposed is reclusion perpetua or
higher.xliv[44] The Rules of Court, allows, however, the appeal of criminal cases involving
penalties lower than reclusion perpetua or life imprisonment under the circumstances stated in
Section 3, Rule 122, of the Revised Rules of Criminal Procedure. Thus (c) The appeal to the Supreme Court in cases where the penalty imposed is life
imprisonment, or where a lesser penalty is imposed but involving offenses committed on
the same occasion or arising out of the same occurrence that gave rise to the more