Manila, March 24 -- The Supreme Court (SC) has upheld the life imprisonment sentence of an Australian national and a Filipina found guilty of recruiting minors for prostitution, pornography, and sexual exploitation.

In a news release Monday, the SC said its Second Division affirmed the conviction of Peter Gerald Scully and Carme Ann Alvarez for qualified trafficking under Republic Act (RA) 9208 or the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003.

On Sept. 19, 2014, Alvarez lured two girls, aged nine and 12, from a mall by offering them food and promising more if they came with her. She took them to a house where they met Scully.

Once inside, Scully gave them alcohol, made them undress, and took photos of them naked.

Scully and Alvarez then...