MALOLOS , Philippines — Seven applicants for the Army were rescued in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan on Wednesday night.
According to reports reaching Bulacan police director Col. Lawrence Cajipe, Nilo Timpadan Jr., Renato Amay, Jandy Ricardo, Benzar Cornelio, Benjie Ulobalang, Aladin Mosarta and Lino Montebayen, all residents of Barangay Bual Badak in Datu Odin Sinsuat in Maguindanao, were abandoned by their alleged recruiter identified as M/Sgt. Delbert Diwan.
Diwan reportedly charged the victims between P23,000 to P40,000 as application fee.
The Baliwag police received a report that the victims were abandoned by their recruiter at a house in Barangay Gaya-Gaya.
The victims claimed they had been staying in the house since February. They said more applicants from Mindanao had been duped by the recruiter and had returned to their hometowns.