PHThe Supreme Court of the Philippines ruled that an affidavit of desistance, where a victim withdraws a trafficking complaint, cannot be used to dismiss a trafficking case. In a 2026 decision, the court upheld the conviction of a woman accused of trafficking a minor, despite the victim signing such an affidavit. The minor had been exploited for sexual services, receiving only a fraction of the money promised and being given a cellphone by the recruiter. The victim's mother initially filed a complaint, but the minor later withdrew the charges, citing payment of P30,000 for signing the affidavit. The court emphasized that once a case is filed, the complainant cannot unilaterally halt proceedings, particularly in cases involving minors who may lack understanding of the legal implications. The woman was sentenced to life imprisonment, fined P2 million, and ordered to pay P600,000 in damages.
Bias read (Center): The article presents a judicial ruling without overt ideological slant. It reports on a Supreme Court decision regarding legal procedures in trafficking cases, focusing on procedural fairness and protection of vulnerable victims. While the issue of human trafficking is politically sensitive, the phr
