CEBU CITY – An owner of a security agency has applied for probation after a court recently found her guilty of estafa for failing to remit the Social Security System (SSS) contributions of one of her former employees.

In her application filed before Branch 2 of the Municipal Trial Court in Cities in Mandaue City, Arne Sarsalejo asserted that she meets all the necessary qualifications to avail of probation granted by the Presidential Decree No. 968, otherwise known as the Probation Law of 1976.

Sarsalejo cited several reasons why she is qualified to be granted probation.

She said the imposed penalty is less than six years of imprisonment and that she has not been previously convicted by final judgment of an offense punishable by more than six years of imprisonment.

Sarsalejo added she has not been previously granted probation and did not appeal her conviction, making her application timely.

She pointed out that offense is not against national security or public order and she is not currently serving a sentence for any other crime.

Sarsalejo implored the court to give due course to the probation request, defer the execution of her sentence, and direct the Probation Officer to conduct and submit a post-sentence investigation report.

She was found guilty beyond reasonable doubt in two separate estafa cases and was meted a penalty of three months and 11 days of arresto mayor for each conviction.

Sarsalejo’s husband, Jonnifer, her co-accused in the case, was acquitted.

The conviction stemmed from a case filed by complainant, Junebeb T. Clatero, a former security guard at Sarsalejo Security Agency Inc.

Clatero complained that his SSS monthly contributions were deducted from his salary from February 2018 to March 2022. He later learned that the deducted amount was not remitted to the SSS.