‘Illegal recruiter’ falls after 10 years in hiding

MANILA, Philippines - A woman dubbed the “queen of illegal recruitment” in the country was arrested in Sun Valley, Parañaque City yesterday after more than 10 years in hiding.

Sofia Lanceta is being held by the Anti-Human Trafficking Division (AHTRAD) of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

“Her victims are at least 100,” AHTRAD executive officer Eric Czar Nuqui said.

Lanceta’s arrest stemmed from the warrants issued by a Baguio regional trial court in 2004 and an Urdaneta, Pangasinan regional trial court in 2009 for syndicated and large-scale estafa.

She is also wanted by a Makati court for another estafa case in 1999.

Case investigators Danny Garay said Lanceta reportedly “showed no remorse” and quoted the suspect as saying that “all professions have their bad side, whether private or government. You just need to be careful.”

He said Lanceta’s modus operandi involves sending one person to strife-torn Iraq, even if there is a travel ban, to convince others – usually the overseas worker’s relatives or friends – to shell out P60,000, which would go directly to the suspect’s pockets.

According to Garay, Lanceta operates in the provinces of Cavite, Tarlac, La Union, Pangasinan and Pampanga and the city of Baguio.