Woman charged for illegal recruitment

CEBU, Philippines - A woman was indicted before the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office for alleged illegal recruitment. 

Prosecutor Leah Cruz found probable cause and held Maria Juliet Brongcano, a resident of Ocaña, Carcar City, for trial for illegal recruitment.

“…that on the basis of the evidence submitted, there exists a prima facie case for violation of Republic Act 10022 involving economic sabotage under RA 8042 and that there is sufficient cause to hold accused for trial,” Cruz declared.

The suspect faces P24,000 bail.

The case stemmed from a complaint filed by the National Bureau of Investigation-7 on behalf of Christine Comendador, a resident of Basak, Lapu-Lapu City.

NBI-7 director Ricardo Diaz sued Brongcano and one Erlinda Cruz, also of Ocaña, Carcar City, before the Office of the Cebu City Prosecutor.

Comendador appeared before the office of the NBI sometime in November 2014 to seek for assistance. She alleged that she knew Brongcano and Erlinda through her boyfriend and her neighbor, who were both first recruited by the suspects. 

Sometime in April of the same year, Comendador alleged, Brongcano recruited her to work as a nurse in Italy.

She paid P50,000 for her visa and ticket and P5,000 for medical checkup. Brongcano ordered her to deposit the P50,000 to Erlinda’s account. 

However, allegedly despite paying P55,000, she was not deployed to Italy and neither Brongcano nor Erlinda returned her money.

 When the NBI verified with the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), it was learned that Brongcano and Erlinda were not licensed or authorized to recruit workers for overseas employment.

Cruz summoned both suspects to submit their respective counter-affidavits, but the two failed, prompting the prosecutor to rule based on the evidence of the complainant.

Cruz found probable cause to indict Brongcano but dismissed the complaint filed against Erlinda, citing insufficiency of evidence.  — (FREEMAN)