Three women charged with "illegal recruitment by syndicate"

CEBU, Philippines – Three women are facing a criminal case before the Regional Trial Court for recruiting an employee abroad although they are not authorized by the Philippine Overseas and Employment Administration (POEA).

Josephine O. Casianan, Merlyn Gacayan, and Marcelina Larayo of Be Glad Worldwide Agency are facing charges for “illegal recruitment by a syndicate” when they failed to deploy Stella M. Codera, a resident of Barangay Gun-ob, Lapu-lapu City, Cebu as factory worker in Tonga Islands.

Investigation by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) disclosed that last year, the respondents convinced and recruited Codera at Be Glad Worldwide Agency with office address at Rias Jack Building, Baseline Complex, Juana Osmeña St., Cebu City, for a job deployment in the Kingdom of Tonga and earn a salary of US$650 per month.

The respondents demanded from Codera the amount of P12,000 as processing and placement fees. After they received the money, they promised Codera to deploy her within a period of one month.

However, after three and a half months, they still failed to deploy Codera as promised, despite repeated demands by Codera.

The NBI verified with the Philippine Overseas and Employment Administration (POEA) through its Region 7-Cebu City Office. Their investigation revealed that Be Glad Worldwide Agency’s license was cancelled and the respondents are not included in the list of officers and staff of the agency.

Rodulph Joseph Val J. Carrillo, Prosecutor II, found a probable cause to elevate the case to the court.

“The uncontested allegations in the complaint establish that the respondents recruited Codera for employment abroad,” Carillo said.

Carrillo stated that under Section 6 of Republic Act 8042, illegal recruitment is committed by any person who recruits workers for employment abroad although he is not licensed to do so.

Section 6 of RA 8042 also considers as illegal recruitment the failure to actually deploy a worker without a valid reason. Since there are three offenders in this case, illegal recruitment was deemed committed by a syndicate. (THE FREEMAN)