Suspected illegal recruiter nabbed

A woman who allegedly duped overseas job applicants of millions of pesos was nabbed by the police in an entrapment operation in Ermita, Manila Wednesday afternoon.

Superintendent Leo Francisco, intelligence chief of the Manila Police District (MPD), identified the suspect as Aurora Magbitang of Pilar Village, Las Piñas City.

Francisco said Frederick Panaligan, 28, filed a complaint against Magbitang for failing to send him abroad even when he gave her a total of P185,000 as placement fee.

He said Magbitang offered to send him to Cyprus as a bartender with a monthly salary of P50,000 if he could pay the P200,000 placement fee.

Panaligan said he found out from the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency that Magbitang is not licensed nor authorized to recruit workers for jobs abroad.

Francisco said several victims, some from as far as the Cordilleras, went to the MPD headquarters upon hearing of Magbitang’s arrest.

“Based on the victims’ account, the suspect had already collected millions using the same modus operandi she employed on Panaligan,” Francisco said.

Charges of large-scale estafa and illegal recruitment are being prepared against Magbitang. Francisco called on other victims to file their complaints against the suspect.