The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) arrested five persons for the alleged “illegal recruitment” of workers for overseas employment in an entrapment operation at their office at Yusay Arcade at Araneta Street in Bacolod City 3:30 p.m. Friday, July 22.
They allegedly recruited persons for jobs in Australia and Japan, which did not materialize, without a license from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), NBI Bacolod chief Renoir Baldovino said.
Arrested were Sandy Agena, Maricar Bangcale, Richard Hiponia, Maria Teresa Aragon and Arlene Alonday of KAS-A & SMV Management Consultancy Services located at the second floor of Yusay Arcade, he said.
Two of those arrested denied that they were recruiting workers, claiming they were just a consultancy firm.
But Baldovino said their recruitment activities started in 2021.
Placement fees of from P51,000 to P53,000, which were said to be discounted rates from the original P150,000 fee, were allegedly charged for jobs as farm workers in Japan, he added.
Baldovino said a P160, 000 placement fee was charged for jobs as farm and hotel workers in Australia.
Payments were made through Western Union, he added.
Many of the applicants are hard up and had to borrow money to pay the placement fees, Baldovino said.
They became suspicious when they were not able to go abroad so they went to the POEA and discovered that the consultancy firm did not have a license to recruit workers for overseas jobs, Baldovino said.
Baldovino said so far five persons have filed complaints before the NBI but they are expecting more to come forward.
More than 100 persons are believed to have been recruited by the group, he said.
The NBI is filing charges against those arrested for illegal recruitment in violation of Republic Act 8042 as amended by RA 1022 or the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act, Baldovino said.
Since they are considered a syndicate because they are more than three, if they are found guilty the penalty will be life imprisonment, he said.
It is also a non-bailable offense, he added.
They will present the five before the inquest prosecutor on Saturday morning, July 23, Baldovino said.*