"Illegal recruiter" arrested again for estafa

CEBU – Just hours after posting bail on five separate cases of estafa, a suspected illegal recruiter was rearrested yesterday for yet a similar case.

The Mabolo police arrested Luisa Ditan, 43, of barangay Banilad by virtue of a warrant issued by Regional Trial Court Judge Ramon Codilla.

Ditan did not resist arrest but claimed she was also just “fooled” by a certain Osie Cadacio, the manager of Manila-based Siphil Chan Incorporated, with whom Ditan was an agent. 

The company was allegedly involved in processing documents for travel abroad.

A complainant in the first five cases alleged that they lost P150,000 when they filed an application for immigration to Canada last 2006 through an alleged front firm named Rite Travel, which was then located at an uptown mall. The office of the firm no longer exists.

However, after he could no longer get in touch with Ditan, the complainant and 10 other aggrieved parties sought refuge with the court.

The complainant, who recognized Ditan from a picture, said he spotted Ditan at the fast food store at the Asiatown IT Park and after some queries, learned that Ditan worked for a call center there.

The complainant then coordinated with the police who conducted a surveillance operation on the suspect, but it was only last Thursday that Ditan was placed under arrest after three days of searching.

However, after posting bail for the five cases, Ditan was again placed under arrest for yet another estafa case. – Niña Chrismae G. Sumacot/JMO (THE FREEMAN)