Manhunt on for illegal recruiter

MANILA, Philippines – Authorities are searching for a woman who allegedly received a total of P2.5 million for offering more than 700 people non-existent jobs in the United Kingdom.

In an interview aired during a weekly radio program of Vice President and Task Force Against Illegal Recruitment chief Noli de Castro, TFAIR operations chief Senior Superintendent Gilbert Sosa identified the suspect as Bridget Pedrosa Logarta.

Some of Logarta’s alleged victims said the suspect hails from Cebu and is married to a certain Dexter Insoy.

The complainants said Logarta demanded P35,000 from each of them to undergo training for their jobs in the UK.

Senior Superintendent Bernie Yang of TFAIR said Logarta also used the aliases Valerie Valero, Bridget Lugarta, Bridget Ortiz, Maria Cristy Hope, and the name of Gina Cruz, who is one of the complainants.

The complainants said Logarta recruited them through Alba Lumeng, who promised them a P300,000 monthly salary with free board and lodging for different jobs in London.

But Logarta disappeared when the applicants started attending training under Lumeng, who has been arrested and is in the custody of TFAIR.

The complainants said one of the complainants, Reuben Cablin, died while arguing with Lumeng when he confronted her about the alleged scam at her office in Bahay Toro, Project 8, Quezon City.

Another complainant, Almario Lopez, said Cablin was an overseas worker and owner of a water refilling station in Cavite.