"Illegal recruiter" sued for victimizing 3 nurses

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office has filed a criminal case of illegal recruitment including economic sabotage and three counts of estafa against a marketing manager of a recruitment agency after victimizing three registered nurses.

Nurses Aileen Quiapo, Joyce del Socorro and Ma. Elaine Panilagao filed the charges against Joie Dacanay, a marketing manager of Alpha Employment Agency located on Colon St., Cebu City in September 2010.

A P16,000.00 bail was recommended for Dacanay’s temporary liberty.

Aside from Dacanay, the agency’s owner, Jane Sy and a certain Rolando Ferrer were also included in the complaint but Prosecutor II Mario Edgardo Montenegro dropped them from the charge after the complainants did not mention their participation in the crime and there was no proof that both received money from them.

Sy said her agency is engaged only in local recruitments. In their joint affidavit, Quiapo and del Socorro said on September 2, 2010, they went to the agency to ask for job opening for private nurse and Sy answered in a negative.

Then a male person, who introduced himself as Joie Dacanay informed them that there is a job opening for Dubai and they were given a form to be filled-up.

On the following day, Dacanay asked for P5,000 each from the complainants for processing fee which will be given to his contact person in Manila allegedly named Rolando Ferrer.

Panilagao in her affidavit also stated that Dacanay asked P5,000 from her for processing fee also to be given to Ferrer.

Then the three victims were told by Dacanay that the contract signing will be on September 17, 2010 at 10 a.m. at one of the buildings located at a popular mall in Cebu City. Dacanay however did not show up.

The three then went to the agency to inquire and was told that Dacanay did not report for work. — (FREEMAN)