No bail for four illegal recruiters

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office has recommended no bail against four officials of a recruitment agency for illegal recruitment in large scale.

Prosecutor II Noel Cellona indicted Catalina Sereito being the manager, Salvador Rasol as branch manager, Merasol Rasol as recruiter and Diary Alvarade as liason’s officer of Al Mustaqbal International Inc. for allegedly conniving in hiring complainants Eduardo Tolibao Jr., Jay dela Victoria and Nestrel Naul for overseas employment.

“They were sent abroad but when they reached there, the contracts were not followed in violation of subsection (b) and (i), section 6, article II of RA 8042 otherwise known as Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipino Act,” the resolution reads.

Under RA 8042, subsection (b) means to furnish or publish any false notice or information or document in relation to recruitment or employment; while subsection (i) means to substitute or alter to the prejudice of the worker, employment contracts approved and verified by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) from the time of actual signing thereof by the parties up to and including the period of the expiration of the same without the approval of the DOLE.

Tolibao, Dela Victoria, and Naul reportedly lived in a “cage” overseas, which, Cellona said is another violation of the four accused of subsection (f), which means to engage in the recruitment or placement of workers in jobs harmful to public health or morality or to the dignity of the Republic of the Philippines.

Tolibao said he was hired to work at Saad Sahmi Al Hajri & Partner Corp. for $350 per month and another SR200 as food allowance with free transportation and free housing. However, when he arrived in Saudi Arabia, his contract was not followed and he was made to work at Arsan Contracting Establishment with a salary much lower than what was agreed.

He said that instead of $350, he was only paid 600 SR or approximately $160. The company, he added, also deducted SR104 or some $27 for the expenses incurred in hiring him.

Further, Tolibao said he got disappointed as he was allegedly treated like a “livestock” placed in a cage.

The complainant said he informed the recruitment agency of his concern, but the company did nothing to help him.

Dela Victoria and Naul claimed they also suffered the same situation with Tolibao.

Cellona directed the accused to file their respective counter-affidavits and other pieces of evidence but the four didn’t, thus, the prosecutor resolved the complaint based on the evidence of the complainants.  (FREEMAN)