CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office has indicted four alleged illegal recruiters with the non-bailable criminal case of large-scale illegal recruitment for recruiting overseas contract workers without authority from the government.
Charged with violation of Republic Act 8042 before the Regional Trial Court were Annaliza Laguna, Cristy Nacua, Liezel Abellanosa and Michelle Lopuz.
The case stemmed from the complaint filed by Rovemay Alisoso, Orina Escarro, Marie May Miñoza, Silvirio Toring Jr., Filepe Magallanes Jr., Vivian Ebuna, Elbert Villarin and Lorna Cabrera who were allegedly recruited by the accused to work abroad.
The complainants said they were made to pay the processing and placement fees ranging from P115,000 to P210,000 but despite having paid the required payments the accused failed to fulfill their obligation to deploy them abroad.
Cabrera, one of the complainants, said that sometime in July 2008 she learned through the advertisement placed on the bulletin board at Gemini Building along M.J. Cuenco Avenue that Aqua Gem International Corp. is conducting recruitment for overseas employment.
Cabrera said she applied as housekeeper for the United Kingdom and was interviewed by Nacua. She was told to return the following day where Laguna interviewed her again and told her to fill up the application form.
Laguna allegedly explained to her that she need to pay P240,000 as placement fee for the United Kingdom. She was allegedly advised to procure the money through a loan from Nippon Lending.
Cabrera said on August 13, 2008 she delivered P72,000 for the processing fee which was received by a certain Anna Marie Echavez. She again paid P40,000 on February 2009 as processing fee for her Visa.
According to Cabrera, she made several follow-ups of her travel documents but nothing was shown to her until she found out that the agency is not authorized to recruit workers for jobs abroad.
Cabrera and the other victims then went to the Criminal Investigation and detection Group to file a complaint which resulted to an entrapment operation. The operation which was conducted on May 6, 2009 resulted in the arrest of Lopuz. — Fred P. Languido/BRP (FREEMAN NEWS)