Police arrest illegal recruiter

CEBU, Philippines - Police arrested an alleged illegal recruiter in an entrapment operation at Osmeña St. corner Llorente St., Barangay Capitol Site at past 3 p.m. last Wednesday.

Operatives of the Investigation and Detective Management Branch (IDMB) of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) arrested Christian Lopez, 28, a representative of Global Visas who allegedly received the money during the operation.

SPO3 Rene Serna, IDMB investigator, said they arrested the suspect because they were transacting without license from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA).

The arrest stemmed from the complaint of Annaliza Baldecir, 39, who just came from England and temporarily resides in Mandaue City.

Baldecir, in an interview with reporters, said the agency stopped contacting her since she paid a staggered amount of P100,000 to them before she arrived in the country late last May. She hails from Surigao City.

She said that the amount, according to the agency, is a package deal that would supposedly include her “plain ticket and sure employment abroad.”

Baldecir said that through online, she transacted with the agency starting February and was since promised with a job in Australia.

“Sige siya ug saad na in three to six months, maka-abroad na daw ko, unya hangtod karon wala pa g’yud. Pag-abot nako gikan England, wala na g’yud nako sila makontak,” she said. (He kept promising me a job abroad but he no longer contacted me.)

This prompted her to reapply in the agency using a fictitious name last Saturday. She got an immediate response.

The agency, Baldecir said, then asked her to pay P100,000, but she pretended to pay P30,000 first. She then sought assistance from the police. Lopez, who has allegedly been transacting with her, was arrested.

Reporters tried to get Lopez’s side but he refused to be interviewed and referred the media to his lawyer Ennoh Fernandez.

Fernandez said Global Visas is a visa processing company, not an agency engaged in recruitment.

“There’s no promise of job, no soliciting. Maybe nasayop ra ug interpret ang complainant,” Fernandez said, adding that police should have conducted surveillance first. (The complainant might have misinterpreted the agency.)

Asked why his client received P100,000 cash from the complainant after allegedly promising her job, Fernandez said he can no longer say anything about this.

Serna said the suspect was just making an alibi, but is actually engaged in illegal recruitment. The agency, he said, is owned by one Kirk Mauricio.

“Depensa ra ‘na nila. Before g’yud ta mu-seek employment abroad, mu-verify isa ‘ta sa POEA if authorized ba ang agency to recruit for jobs overseas,” the police officer further said. He said applicants should be cautious and should not fall easily to enticing offers.

Baldecir worked as a caregiver in England and made sure that she already has another job once she leaves the country. She went to Global Visas as referred by a Filipino friend.       - THE FREEMAN