Spouses Ricardo and Myrla Ramos wept as they were acquitted by the court. With them is their lawyer Salvador Solima. CDN PHOTO.ADOR MAYOL
A Cebu City judge cleared a couple accused of hiring and exposing a 17-year-old girl to prostitution in downtown Cebu City four years ago.
Ricardo and Myrla Ramos were found not guilty of violating Republic Act 9208 or the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003 for “insufficiency of evidence.”
In his ruling, Judge Gilbert Moises of the Regional Trial Court Branch 18 in Cebu City took into consideration the victim’s confession that she just fabricated lies against the two accused.
“The admission of the victim that she lied in her affidavit despite the fact that its contents were thoroughly explained to her with the assistance of the Department of Social Welfare social worker cannot be taken lightly,” he said.
While the courts are not bound to accept or reject an entire testimony, Moises said the constitution and the law mandate that “doubts must be resolved in favor of the accused.”
Although qualified trafficking is a non-bailable offense, the judge granted the petition for bail of the two accused since the evidence presented by the prosecution were not strong in 2013.
“The credibility of the victim’s testimony was already raised therein. Despite thereof, the prosecution did not attempt to bolster its evidence by presenting additional evidence…,” Moises said.
The couple wept after the verdict was announced in open court this morning.
“”Nagpasalamt mi sa Ginoo. Wala gyud mi sala. (We thank God we are acquitted. We’re really innocent of the accusations),” Myrla told reporters after the promulgation.
Lawyer John Tanagho, deputy field office director of the International Justice Mission (IJM)-Cebu, said they will review the court’s decision to determine whether or not an appeal is needed.
“Nevertheless , IJM respects the decision of Judge Moises. The arrest and prosecution of the couple just shows that law enforcement in the Philippines is serious in combating cases of human trafficking,” he told reporters.
Although Ramoses were cleared by the court, Tanagho said IJM and law enforcement agencies in the country will continue to go after pimps and traffickers who are exploiting Filipinos.
“Sometimes, judges will rule that there is no sufficient evidence to convict and that’s their role in the justice system. The law enforcmement, (however) will continue to do its part…” he said.
The two accused were arrested in an entrapment operation by police on April 14, 2011. They were accused of offering the 17-year-old victim to prostitution.
The victim had executed an affidavit against the two accused, but recanted her testimonies later on.
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