THIRD DIVISION
[G.R. No. 132289. July 18, 2000]
PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, plaintiff-appellee, vs. BETH N.
BANZALES, accused-appellant.
DECISION
GONZAGA-REYES, J.:
This is an appeal from the decision[1] of the Regional Trial Court of Quezon City,
Branch 215, finding accused-appellant Beth N. Banzales guilty of (1) illegal recruitment
committed in large scale and sentencing her to suffer life imprisonment, pay a fine of
P100,000.00, with subsidiary imprisonment in case of insolvency; and (2) five (5) counts
of estafa for which she was sentenced to suffer an indeterminate prison term of six (6)
months and one (1) day of prision correccional as minimum to seven (7) years of prision
mayor as maximum for each count. In another count of estafa, she was sentenced to
suffer an indeterminate prison term of six (6) months and one (1) day of prision
correccional as minimum to eight (8) years of prision mayor as maximum inasmuch as
the amount involved exceeded Twenty-Two Thousand Pesos (P22,000.00). She was
further ordered to indemnify the complainants the following amounts by way of actual
damages: 1) P15,000.00 to Elizabeth Bernal; 2) P15,000.00 to Apolinario Baldoza;
3) P15,000.00 to Eva Amada; 4) P25,000.00 to Domingo Mariano; and 5) P15,000.00 to
Rizza Oliva.
The Information for Illegal Recruitment in Large Scale docketed as Crim. Case No.
Q-94-58106 alleged that Beth N. Banzales, without the requisite license or authority
from the POEA, recruited nine (9) individuals, namely, Domingo Mariano, Rizza Oliva,
Elizabeth Bernal, Eva Amada, Rodolfo Tolentino, Apolinario Baldoza, Noel V.
Manangguil, Angelo Ballester and Dennis M. Guirre for employment abroad and
charged them fees in the total amount of P135,000.00. It reads:
The undersigned accuses BETH N. BANZALES of ILLEGAL RECRUITMENT
in Large Scale under Article 38 (a) and 39 (b) of the Labor Code of the
Philippines as amended by P.D. 2018, committed as follows: