An Australian man traveling with seven Filipino women was stopped at the airport for suspicion of sex trafficking. Now, he will spend decades behind bars.
Today, a Cebu Province judge sentenced Troy Birthisel to life in a Philippine prison. Initially, Birthisel was arrested on a charge of suspicious sex trafficking but was later reduced to illegal recruitment involving economic sabotage.
In October 2013, the 54-year-old former mining executive was traveling to Singapore with his Filipino girlfriend, Lovely Jane Modina, and six other Filipino women at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport when authorities arrested him. Birthisel told investigators during interrogation that he was asked to escort the ladies to Singapore, where they were expected to gain employment in the hospitality sector. In addition, the defendant testified government officials had tried to extort money from him at the airport.
For over a decade, Birthisel’s case had suffered numerous setbacks and adjournments, including the demise of one of his key witnesses. Furthermore, four of the women who had been detained with the defendant initially took the position of the prosecutor in an affidavit establishing Birthisel as a sex trafficker. However, the women recanted their statements years later, testifying that government officials pressured them to make false statements after their passports were confiscated.
"I was 99 percent sure (the verdict) would be in my favour. It was a kick in the guts, but I've got to keep my chin up and keep going. I'm not going to give up the fight," said Birthisel, reported 9 News.
Modina was also sentenced to life in prison. Birthisel, a father of six from Queensland, would be eligible for release after spending a minimum of 30 years in prison.
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