help, he advised them to go to the POEA but complainants claimed that they do not know anyone at said office. He then offered to scout for a recruitment agency in Manila. Accused-appellant accompanied complainants to Steadfast Recruitment Agency in Manila and introduced them to a certain Marilyn Pagsibigan, Marketing Manager of the agency. He came to know about the agency through a friend in Manila, one Ernesto Sy. He denied collecting placement fees from the complainants and claimed that his signatures on the receipts had been forged. He also claimed that on June 27, 1994, he was at the Gallaos Optical Clinic to collect the payment for the betamax player which Bacasnot had previously ordered and which accused-appellant had delivered a week earlier. Bacasnot told accused-appellant that Eliw wanted to buy the betamax player for P10,000.00. As Eliw had only P1,500.00, accused-appellant at first refused to accept the payment. When Eliw assured him she would pay the balance, accused-appellant finally agreed to receive the payment. As accused-appellant received the money, he was nabbed by NBI agents who identified themselves and asked accused-appellant to go with them to the NBI office. He was later charged with illegal recruitment.25[25] On November 23, 1994, the trial court rendered its decision convicting accused-appellant of illegal recruitment committed in large scale and of seven counts of estafa. The dispositive portion of its decision reads:26[26] WHEREFORE, the Court finds and declares the accused BENZON ONG y SATE alias Benz Ong, guilty beyond reasonable doubt of the crime of illegal recruitment in large scale as charged in Crim. Case No. 13146-R and hereby sentences him to suffer life imprisonment, to pay a fine of P100,000.00, without subsidiary imprisonment in case of insolvency; and to pay the costs. The Court also finds and declares the same accused BENZON ONG y SATE, alias Benz Ong, guilty beyond reasonable doubt of the crime of estafa on seven counts and hereby sentences him: (a) In Crim. Case No. 13147-R, to suffer an indeterminate penalty of FOUR (4) YEARS and TWO (2) MONTHS of prision correccional, as minimum, to NINE (9) YEARS of prision mayor, as maximum; and to pay the costs; (b) In Crim. Case No. 13148-R, to suffer an indeterminate penalty of FOUR (4) YEARS and TWO (2) MONTHS of prision correccional, as minimum, to NINE (9) YEARS of prision mayor, as maximum; and to pay the costs; (c) In Crim. Case No. 13150-R, to suffer an indeterminate penalty of FOUR (4) YEARS and TWO (2) MONTHS of prision 25[25] TSN (Benzon Ong y Sate), pp. 2-15, Oct. 17, 1994.2 26[26] Rollo, pp. 38-39.