Man arrested for illegal recruitment

CEBU, Philippines - A man accused of illegal recruitment was was arrested by police during an entrapment operation in one of the snack bars in uptown area of Cebu City yesterday morning.

Police identified the suspect as Simplicio Elimino Ypon alias Peter, 54, resident of sitio Purok, barangay Sto. Niño, Toledo City.

Ypon was arrested after at least 20 individuals he allegedly victimized sought the help of the Investigation and Detective Management Branch of the Cebu City Police Office last Saturday.

The victims, neighbors of Ypon, claimed they were assured of a job as housekeeping staff at one of the hotels in Arizona, USA.

Ypon, who claimed to be an agent of Regal Vision International Manpower Services based in Manila, alleged that he was hired by the said agency last year but he did not sign any documents and only keeps in touch with them through the Internet.

He said he was hired by his friend, a certain Nepomuceno Amable Jr., who is the vice president of the agency and that the money he received from the first 21 applicants has already been sent to Amable who allegedly signs all the acknowledgment receipts.

But police found out that Amable is no longer connected with the agency which has a certification issued by the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency.

A request for verification regarding the connection of Ypon in the said agency and it was found out that Ypon is not connected with the agency.

Effie Codiñera, 26 one of the victims, said she just quit from her work as a checker at one of the malls in Cebu City last November after deciding to apply for abroad through Ypon.

During the entrapment, a marked bill of P1,000 was handed over to Ypon by one of the victims while the suspect told them they will have their flight by next month. Upon receiving the amount, IDMB operatives arrested him.

A charge for illegal recruitment will be charged against the suspect who is now detained at the CCPO stockade.

Meanwhile, seven persons who ran an agency that had no certification from the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency were charged with Large scale Illegal Recruitment before the Regional Trial Court yesterday.

Charged were, Antonnete Varon, Marlene Alima, Rudy Camo Jr., and the agency’s officials Danilo Valmoria, Peter Valmoria, John Eric Valmoria and Romelito Mantuhac from Genesis Worldwide Hospitality Inc., an agency which is not licensed by the POEA.

The accused allegedly enticed complainants Romelyn Orongan, Mary Joy Balentong, Inie Minoza, Rosalinda Ilagan, Baby Barsagas, Gasbael Ranin, Jeraldine Pepito, Ma. Lourdes Cacanog, Eleanor Quijano and Susan Ibale into giving them money with the promise of a job in London.   They were recruited sometime in October 2007 and January 2008

The complaints alleged the agency demanded money ranging from P94,000 to P180,000 from each of them. However, their travel papers were rejected by the embassy of the United Kingdom.

According to the affidavit of the complainants, Mantuhac was the one who recruited them and promised them work in London and was asked to pay of the said amount for processing of their papers.

Alima, Varon and Camo said in their counter-affidavit that they were merely employees of the said company performing office jobs and that the said transaction done by Mantuhac had no connection with them as the recruitment transpired prior to their actual employment.

Accused Danilo Valmoria said that he had no connection with the said company anymore as he had sold his shares to John Eric Valmoria and that he has no control or participation in the operation of Genesis Worldwide Hospitality Inc.

Peter Paul Valmoria also filed his counter-affidavit alleging similar defenses with Danilo Valmoria and said that there was not enough proof that indeed an illegal recruitment was committed on his part.

Mantuhac claimed he did not promise the complainants a job and did not recruit them for job placement and that the complainants were the ones who sought his help to secure their money deposited to the account of the company or to John Eric Valmoria and that the said fees were for the enrollment of the school in United Kingdom.— Niña G. Sumacot and Jasmin R. Uy/BRP    (THE FREEMAN)