Security agency owner convicted of estafa seeks probation

An owner of a security agency in Cebu City has applied for probation after being found guilty of estafa for failing to remit the Social Security System (SSS) contributions of a former employee. Arne Sarsalejo filed her application before Branch 2 of the Municipal Trial Court in Cities in Mandaue City, citing her qualifications under the Probation Law of 1976.

Sarsalejo stated that the penalty imposed is less than six years of imprisonment, she has no prior convictions exceeding six years, has not been granted probation before, and did not appeal her conviction. She emphasized that the offense is not against national security, and she is not serving a sentence for any other crime.

She requested the court to consider her probation request, defer her sentence, and order a post-sentence investigation report. Sarsalejo was convicted in two estafa cases, receiving a penalty of three months and 11 days of arresto mayor for each case. Her husband, Jonnifer, was acquitted in the same case. The conviction stemmed from a complaint by Junebeb T. Clatero, a former security guard at Sarsalejo Security Agency Inc., regarding unremitted SSS contributions.