2 women face illegal recruitment charge

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office filed charges against two women for alleged violation of the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act for recruiting an artist painter for work abroad without permit.

Cebu City Prosecutor Nicolas Sellon approved the filing of the case in court against Erlinda Jaime Jamaldan and Charlotte Sison.

On top of the criminal case for illegal recruitment, Jamaldan and Sison were also charged with estafa for demanding P29,000 allegedly as placement fee from complainant Efren Amplayo.

Amplayo alleged that between November 2007 and March 2008, the respondents recruited him for work in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates as an artist painter and promised him a monthly salary of 2,000 dirham.

He further alleged that the respondents demanded from him P29,000 as placement and processing fees with an assurance he will be deployed to Dubai after a month.

Amplayo said he started to doubt the status of his recruitment, as well as the status of the recruitment agency represented by the respondents after the trip to Dubai did not materialize even after two months.

Amplayo then learned from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration that EPG Travel and Consultancy Services is not registered and authorized to recruit workers for abroad.

Amplayo said he immediately demanded for a refund of his payment but the respondents allegedly failed to return his money, prompting him to file the complaint. — Fred P. Languido/JMO   (FREEMAN NEWS)