CEBU, Philippines - Illegal recruitment charge was slapped against a woman who was arrested in an entrapment operation after duping two Cebuanas by offering them jobs abroad early this month.
Rosita Tomaodos was arrested by policemen last September 2 after being caught red handed receiving marked money from the victims Ellen Onque and Angelita Roda, who she allegedly duped by offering them jobs in Kuwait.
Onque said she met Tomoados last July through a friend who said the accused could help them find a job abroad.
The complainant said Tomaodos assured her of employment in Kuwait as the latter has an office in Manila where she can process documents for it.
Tomaodos allegedly asked Onque P5,000 as initial payment for the processing of her papers and another P2,000 for the hotel accommodation.
Onque added she paid the accused the amount she had asked and voluntarily resigned from her present job as she relied on the promise of Tomaodos that she will have a job in Kuwait after a few months.
On August 28, Onque said she and Roda received a text message from Tomaodos that they will be flying to Manila at 3:00 p.m. of August 29 via Zest Air and Cebu Pacific. However, when they verified their bookings with the mentioned airline companies, they learned that there was no flight reserved for them.
In the morning of August 29, they both received a text from Tomaodos that their flights have been cancelled and postponed to August 31.
On August 31, the accused again called and said that their flights have been cancelled and moved to September 1.
Believing that Tomaodos was duping them, the latter sought the help of police for an entrapment operation that led to the arrest of the accused and the filing of the case in court. — Jasmin R. Uy/WAB (THE FREEMAN)