SC affirms life sentence for man who trafficked minors into forced domestic work

DAVAO CITY (April 11)— The Supreme Court of the Philippines has affirmed the life imprisonment sentence of Joemarie Ubanon for trafficking three minors into forced domestic labor.

In a decision penned by Associate Justice Mario V. Lopez, the Court’s Second Division upheld Ubanon’s conviction for qualified human trafficking under Republic Act No. 9208, as amended by RA 10364.​

 In a press statement on April 10, the court revealed that in   April 2014, Ubanon approached two 14-year-olds and one 15-year-old in Bukidnon, offering them jobs as onion peelers with a promised monthly wage of PHP 2,500.

Despite the minors’ intent to seek parental consent, Ubanon insisted that the employer was waiting and persuaded them to board a bus. The minors were subsequently transported to Marawi City and assigned to different households in Lanao del Sur and Iligan City to work as domestic helpers without pay.​

The Supreme Court emphasized that all elements of qualified trafficking were present, noting that the recruitment and transportation of minors for exploitative purposes constitute trafficking, regardless of consent.

The Court highlighted that Ubanon took advantage of the victim’s vulnerability and need for income, leading to their exploitation.​

In addition to life imprisonment, Ubanon was ordered to pay a fine of PHP 2 million and PHP 600,000 in damages to each of the three victims. ​

This ruling reinforces the judiciary’s commitment to combating human trafficking and protecting the rights of vulnerable individuals, particularly minors.