NBI Director Reynaldo Wycoco identified the suspects as Rustico Bacolod, alias "Rodolfo Bacolod," 48, of Block 120 Lot 3 Phase 2 Area 3, Kaunlaran Village, Malabon, Metro Manila; and Doris Suizo de Hernandez, alias "Doris Hernanadez," 42, of Room 305 Araneta Mansion, Rodriguez Street, Malibay, Pasay City.
According to the NBI, Bacolod, of the Alkahleej International Service and a certain Nelson Tarayo of the Nelctcir Manpower Agency, and Hernandez, Tarayo’s secretary, allegedly recruited 38 persons to work as factory workers in South Korea, and as apple pickers in Stockton, California.
The suspects, according to the NBI, allegedly promised the job seekers a monthly salary of $900 and were supposed to have been deployed last December.
The suspect collected between P75,000 and P120,000 from each applicant as "processing and placement fees." A total of P2.3 million were collected by the suspects from the 38 applicants, the NBI said.
When their supposed deployment date came, the applicants were surprised to be informed by Hernandez that their working visas were still being processed. She, the NBI said, then promised them that they would be sent abroad by the end of last month.
The applicants sought the assistance of the NBI last Jan. 31 when the suspects again failed to fulfill their promise. Acting on the complaints of the applicants, Hernandez and Bacolod were arrested.
A verification made by the NBI with the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration showed that the suspects were not licensed and not authorized to recruit workers for overseas employment.
Charges of estafa and large-scale illegal recruitment were filed by the NBI against the suspects with the Pasay City Prosecutor’s Office. No bail was recommended for the suspects who are now detained at the NBI Jail. – Mike Frialde