4 arrested for illegal recruitment

MANILA, Philippines - The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) arrested four persons who allegedly gypped more than 50 jobseekers of millions of pesos in Cebu province.

NBI director Nonnatus Caesar Rojas said alleged mastermind as Fernando Geronimo, alias Fernando Batungbakal Jr.; Anna Lisa Samson, 45; Ronualdo Geronimo, 30; and Evangeline Liwanag, alias Van, were arrested in Metro Manila while suspects Cynthia Mateo, Alisha Batac, Jess Malinao and Daisy Ibarra are at large.

At least 50 overseas job applicants went to the NBI’s Central Visayas Regional Office, alleging that Geronimo and his staff at the Global Alliance Consultancy and Immigration Specialist Inc./ United Alliance Consultancy recruited them for nonexistent jobs in the United States and demanded an average of P200,000 from each of them as placement and other service fees.

The group allegedly falsified documents to support the victims’ visa applications, prompting the US embassy to coordinate with the NBI for the suspects’ immediate arrest.

The suspects’ Manila office was raided on Feb. 1 after about 500 complainants filed charges of illegal recruitment and estafa against them with the Department of Justice. The cases are still pending.

Geronimo also faces illegal recruitment charges in several Quezon City courts.

The arrested suspects will be sent to the Cebu City Jail, the NBI said.