Illegal recruiters dupe applicants for jobs in UK

Four illegal recruiters were charged yesterday before the Manila Regional Trial Court for duping four job applicants who wanted to work in the United Kingdom.

Charged with the crime of estafa and illegal recruitment by a syndicate were Juvelyn Tagarpo Fronda, alias Juvie and Juvielyn; Alma Gonzales; Eugenia Remitio, alias Remetio; and Lawrence Ong; all of Jag Travel Agency located at 1426 Agoncillo corner Escoda Streets, Malate, Manila.

The charges against the illegal recruiters stemmed from complaints filed by four job applicants identified as Virginia Navarro, who paid P83,000; Ma. Cristina Ledesma, who paid P83,000; Danilo Falcis, who paid P113,000; and Diosa Corazon Montecer, who paid P120,000; to all of the respondents for placement fees.

Sometime in 2006 during different occasions, the three female victims were recruited by the respondents as caregivers to the United Kingdom with a guaranteed salary of P90,000 each or more per moth. Falcis, on the other hand, was recruited as a cleaner in the United Kingdom with a monthly salary of £1,000.

In consideration of this deployment, the victims paid the travel agency the specified amounts mentioned as processing and placement fees. However, the respondents, despite lapse of seven months, failed to deploy the victims.

Despite repeated demands, the respondents also failed to return the money to them.

“Based on the evidence, there is probable cause to believe that the respondents committed the offense of illegal recruitment. They undertook to deploy complainants to the United Kingdom and to provide them jobs…in consideration, the complainants paid them processing/placement fees ranging from P83,000 to P120,000. Despite receipt of the said payments, however, respondents failed to cause said deployment and they also failed to return the payments they received from said complainants,” said Third Assistant City Prosecutor Lea Llavore, in her Resolution recommending the filing of illegal recruitment and estafa charges against the suspects.

Moreover, two persons were charged Wednesday before the Manila RTC with large scale illegal recruitment after collecting money from 38 job applicants but failing to give them jobs abroad.

In a four-page Information, Third Assistant City Prosecutor Renato Gonzaga charged Remedios Fernandez and Rolando D.G. Fernandez, both of Well Being Recruiters Manila International Incorporated, with office address at Room 208 Mardercor Building, 509 Padre Faura, Ermita, Manila, with violation of Section 6 (l) and (m) of RA 8042, or illegal recruitment in a large scale.

The prosecution office recommended no bail for the suspects.

The suspects also failed to appear before the prosecutor’s office in Manila despite a subpoena issued against them. They are now at large.

The charges against the two stemmed from a complaint from 38 job applicants identified as Allan Alcalde, Emelda Alcalde, Arsenio Badua Jr., Enrico Tined, Marvin Sayoto, Garry Monzon, Rommel Palugan, Florangel Rodas, Julius Callanta, Joel Nuñez, Roger Penuliar, Benjamin de Guzman, Darius Torres, Jonathan Andres, Ronie Divinagracia, Dennis Tapawan, Gregorio Teodulo Llaguno Jr., Enrique Antonio, Christopher Tined, Gualberto Garcia, Jerwin dela Peña and Mervin Bena.

Other complainants are Eduardo Morotam, Roel Jesus Laisac, Arvin Zamora, Ariel Santillan, Reynaldo Toledo, Richard Lactao, Ninonitos Arellano, Efraem Samson Sotelo, Ryan dela Cruz, Romeo Federiga, Aaron Alcalde, Helen Tabios, Arnulfo Aycardo, Eleuterio Germo Jr., Romeo Fenol and Eduardo de Villa.