Three women charged for illegal recruitment

CEBU, Philippines - Three women, who allegedly belong to a syndicate, were charged for illegal recruitment before the Regional Trial Court.

Regine V. Nellas and Theresa Marie T. Bas filed the case against Maria Perpetua C. Baldemor, employee of Blue Pearl Travel and Tours, Leah Rama, owner of Prime Global Incorporation and Imelda Calunsag, who gathered and met with all applicants for recruitment.

Bas, in her affidavit, said she was recruited by Baldemor sometime in October 2006 to work as a housekeeper in a resort in Trinidad and Tobago.

Nellas, for her part, also stated that Baldemor requested her to submit documents to the travel agency located in Lahug, Cebu City through its employees, Jessa Paran and a certain Hazel.

Nellas narrated that Baldemor demanded payment of US$500 for the processing fee, and another undisclosed advance payment, in US dollars, for the airfare.

Baldemor promised her a big amount of money for the work abroad, and that the resort will refund all the expenses they spent in processing.

After paying all the expenses they were made to sign the contracts. She noticed that in the contract, the travel agency named was not the same one where she submitted her application.

Baldemor explained to her that the agency was based in Manila, and this will be the one who will schedule their flight abroad.

On December 21, 2006 they were deployed in Tobago, West Indies.

The victims did not mention the place but they revealed that in between flights, they were apprehended by the airline personnel and immigration agents for lack of appropriate documents.

They managed to request their way into their destination but when they reached Trinidad, they were surprised to learn that their salaries were less than what Baldemor promised. – THE FREEMAN