WHEREFORE, premises considered, decision is hereby rendered finding the accused Lorna Guevarra, Pedro Bea, Jr. and Josie Bea GUILTY beyond reasonable doubt of the crime of ILLEGAL RECRUITMENT qualified into large scale recruitment and by a syndicate and hereby sentences each of the said accused to suffer the penalty of LIFE IMPRISONMENT and to pay a FINE of One Hundred Thousand (P100,000.00) Pesos each, and to indemnify each of the complainants, jointly and severally P30,000.00 for the placement fees they have collected, and the further sum of P20,000.00 for each of the complainants as moral damages and to pay the costs. "SO ORDERED.v[5] Hence, this appeal. The facts, as established by evidence of the prosecution, are as follows: On August 23, 1993, accused Lorna Guevarra visited Rizalina Belbes in her house in Sto. Domingo, Albay, and offered her an opportunity to work in Malaysia for a salary of nine thousand pesos (P9,000.00) for the first three months and an increase of at least three thousand pesos (P3,000.00) thereafter. Guevarra also approached Wilfredo Belbes, the brother of Rizalina, to convince him to work abroad. Guevarra assured them that she had the capability of sending workers abroad and that her connection was on a direct hiring basis.vi[6] Guevarra made several visits until Rizalina and Wilfredo agreed to meet accused spouses Josie and Pedro Bea, Jr. in Bonga, Bacaycay, Albay. The spouses Bea continued to persuade Rizalina and Wilfredo to accept the job offers.vii[7] Likewise, on August 23, 1993, accused Guevarra went to the house of Ermelita Balbin Bocato, promising overseas employment, high salary, and free board and lodging. Guevarra also introduced Ermelita to accused spouses Bea. All three accused kept persuading Ermelita to pay thirty thousand pesos (P30,000.00) as placement fee for the opportunity to work abroad. After much coaxing, Ermelita finally agreed and gave five thousand pesos (P5,000.00) as initial payment, in the presence of Rizalina Belbes, who also gave her initial payment of four thousand pesos (P4,000.00).viii[8]8 On September 16, 1993, Ermelita paid her balance of twenty-five thousand pesos (P25,000.00) at a canteen near the Physicians Tower at United Nations Avenue, Manila. She also saw Rizalina Belbes pay her balance of twenty-six thousand pesos (P26,000.00) and the further sum of thirty thousand pesos (P30,000.00) for Wilfredo Belbes. The accused spouses Bea received these payments.ix[9] Accused Guevarra also enticed Gloria Banico to let her son Alan Banico work in Malaysia, where an employer offered free board and lodging with a starting salary of nine thousand pesos (P9,000.00) to be increased to twelve thousand pesos (P12,000.00) after three months.x[10] She also introduced Gloria to the accused spouses Bea, who continued convincing her to send her son to Malaysia to work. After some time, Gloria finally agreed and paid the placement fee of thirty thousand pesos (P30,000.00) to Josie and Pedro Bea, Jr.xi[11]