The suspect was identified as Myrna Navales, 44, of Lot 27, Block 9, Dalanghita Street, Palmera Homes, Fairview, Quezon City.
According to the NBI, the suspect and a certain Arby Cendana were the subjects of a complaint filed by the victims, one of them identified as Daniel Laza.
Laza told investigators that the suspects demanded from him and the other victims cash amounting to P535,000 in exchange for the processing of their papers for promised jobs in Italy.
According to the NBI, the victims lodged their complaints after the suspects failed to make good their promise to deploy them last month. The victims also said the suspects refused to return their money despite their repeated demands.
A check by the NBI with the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration showed that the suspects were not licensed nor authorized to recruit workers for overseas employment.
Laza cooperated with the investigators and agreed to meet the suspects at a shopping mall in Mandaluyong City to complete his payment. This was used by the NBI agents to stage an entrapment operation.
Last Jan. 30, NBI agents arrested Navales as she was counting the marked P35,000 in cash which Laza had paid her. But Cendana managed to elude arrest.
Charges of estafa and illegal recruitment were lodged by the NBI with the Mandaluyong City Prosecutor’s Office against Navales who is now detained at the NBI jail. – Mike Frialde