Ex-La Union mayor held for illegal recruitment

AGOO, La Union — Agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) arrested a former mayor of this town yesterday for large-scale illegal recruitment, a non-bailable offense, and estafa.

Pablo Olarte, a lawyer who served as Agoo mayor from 1988 to 1998, did not resist arrest when NBI agents, led by Levi Omar Orille, served the warrant issued by Regional Trial Court Judge Mona Lisa Tabora.

Olarte was arrested at about 12 noon in Barangay Lomboy, Sto. Tomas town where he attended a relative’s burial.

The case against Olarte, proprietor of Sabloak Philippines, a consultancy firm allegedly assisting jobseekers to qualify as immigrants to Canada, stemmed from the complaints of Mary Johnson Alcantara, Sierry Gil Menis, and Girly Choo.

The complainants accused the former mayor of demanding money from them allegedly for placement and seminar fees. He, however, failed to provide them with employment.

Last March 9, the provincial prosecutor’s office found probable cause for estafa and large-scale illegal recruitment against Olarte and his Canadian business partner, a certain Merlins Chen.

At the court, Olarte told The STAR that the charges against him are politically motivated and said that he is willing to return the money the three applicants had paid.

"This is politically motivated. I am into consultancy services and my office is for immigration, not for recruitment. They (complainants) twisted their statements, claiming there was illegal recruitment, and banded together, and charged me with illegal recruitment," he said.

Olarte said all his other previous applicants have had no complaints against him because he had sent several of them to Canada and Australia.

He said the three complainants did not submit all the requirements, thus they failed to go abroad.

Olarte said he is awaiting the decision of the Department of Justice on a motion for reconsideration he filed last April 3, contesting the resolution of the provincial prosecutor’s office.