Woman found guilty of pimping minors

CEBU, Philippines - A court has found a woman guilty of human trafficking for allegedly selling two minors for sex in Cebu City in 2010.

Cebu City Regional Trial Court Branch 22 Judge Manuel Patalinghug found Carmen Gabutan guilty of the charges during the promulgation on Wednesday.

Gabutan will face 20 years of imprisonment and was ordered to pay a fine of P1 million, according to the court. The court also required the accused to pay the two victims P50,000 each for exemplary damages and another P50,000 each for moral damages.

The accused was arrested by PNP Regional Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force led by Police Senior Inspector Maria Theresa Macatangay on November 30, 2010 for allegedly selling two minors at Pelaez Street in downtown Cebu City.

The operation was done in coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and Development and International Justice Mission.

According to testimonies, Gabutan reportedly pimped the minors for P500 each. The minors were aged 13 and 17 that time.

During the arraignment, Gabutan pleaded not guilty to the case, but when Prosecutor Van Russe Inopiquez presented four witnesses — the two rescued minors and Police Officer 3 Walden Teologo and Crime Lab forensic chemist Police Senior Inspector Ryan Ace Sala of RAHTTF — her decision changed.

Gabutan was charged for Qualified Trafficking in Persons Act in relation to Republic Act 9208.

In a statement, IJM welcomed the conviction and shared that over 30 traffickers have been convicted in Metro Cebu last year alone.

"Traffickers are getting the message that selling children for sex leads to prison. Because of these convictions, we are seeing significant decrease in the prevalence of the children sold for sex on streets and bars," the statement read.  (FREEMAN)