THE Regional Anti-Trafficking in Persons Task Force (RATTF) 11 scored its first legal win against human trafficking.

The Court of Appeals (CA) on September 26 sentenced Marian Sedano to life imprisonment after she was found guilty of qualified human trafficking.

She was also fined P2 million for each count of trafficking. Each of the four minor victims was awarded P500,000 for moral damages and P100,000 for exemplary damages.

Sedano was acquitted by the Tagum City Regional Trial Court. The group asked the CA to review the ruling.

The CA ruled that there was sufficient basis to reverse the findings of the trial court.

The appellate court found Sedano guilty beyond reasonable doubt of five counts of violation of Section 4(a), qualified section 6 (a) of Republic Act 9208 or Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003 as amended by Republic Act 10364 or Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2012 in relation to Section 12-D of paragraph 2, Article 8 of Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003 as amended by Republic Act 9231.

RATTF 11 serves as the investigation and prosecutorial division of Inter-Agency Council against Trafficking in Persons Network (Iacat) 11, a council that consists of government and non-government agencies supporting the campaign against human trafficking.