Travel firm owner charged with estafa

A travel agency owner was charged yesterday with eight counts of large-scale illegal recruitment and estafa for promising to deploy job applicants to non-existing jobs in Italy.

Assistant City Prosecutor Domingo Orda recommended no bail for the temporary release of Roberto Cabillon, operator of the Gemini Travel Consultancy. The firm has offices in Ermita, Manila; Pasay City; Barangay Balele in Tanauan, Batangas; and Multinational Village in Parañaque City.

The charges stemmed from a complaint filed by Mary Luz Gagalac, Regina Rosete, Arly Nigparanon, Jovanie de Sagun, Rowel Cabas-an, Rodrigo Dayag, Samuel Siatrez and Michel Abarquez.

The victims said Cabillon recruited them to work as domestic helpers, waitresses, waiters, construction workers and seafarers in Italy and Israel.

The victims said they paid Cabillon P250,000 to P450,000 as placement and processing fees between June 2005 and September 2007.

Investigation showed some of the complainants had been able to leave for Italy but were deported upon arrival at the airport for possessing fake travel documents.

The deportees told investigators Cabillon later assured them he can still send them to Italy as promised. – Sandy Araneta