Illegal recruitment, estafa charges filed against two women in court

CEBU, Philippines – Cases for estafa and large scale illegal recruitment were filed before the Regional Trial Court against two women who were found to have no permit to recruit workers abroad.

Facing charges are Theresita Catamco and Julieta Reyes, both of Poblacion, Pinamungajan, Cebu.

Complainants Paz Rosales, Roy Rosales, Sharon Tan, Alma Libo, Elsen Valiente, Mary Ann Coco, and Cecilia Ragay alleged that Catamco and Reyes recruited them as apple pickers for California in the United States with a monthly salary of $1,400.

They were also allegedly made to pay P5,000 and P6,000 as placement fees and for processing of their documents, respectively, but they were reportedly not issued official receipts. They were allegedly promised to be deployed within three months, but the same did not materialize. 

Libo, Valiente, Coco, and Ragay said they were recruited on May 2008 while Tan and two Rosaleses were reportedly recruited on October 2008.

The Philippine Overseas and Employment Administration later discovered that the respondents are not authorized to recruit workers.

Catamco and Reyes are facing a case for large scale illegal recruitment because the alleged crime was committed to more than three persons.

They are facing the estafa charge for allegedly refusing to reimburse the complainants despite repeated demands. — Abigail T. Libo-on and Mylen P. Manto, NORSU Interns/JMO (THE FREEMAN)