Thousands of hopeful overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) fall prey to illegal recruiters every year, pulling them down further to a more sticky situation.
A Filipina and a Japanese national was arrested on Monday, July 3, 2017, for allegedly gulling 360 individuals with whom they had promised employment and entry to Japan.
The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) arrested Shoichi Nakai and Mary Jane Ramirez Tan in an entrapment operation in Mandaluyong City, following victims’ complaints against them.
The victims were recruited through Facebook and promised high-paying jobs in farms, factories, and hotels in Japan.
The applicants were told to pay P30,000 each for their travel requirements and language training.
“It follows yung track ng overseas employment. Meron kang TESDA, tapos may seminar, merong availability ng employer abroad. Ito naman, parang medyo training rin,” GMA News quoted Chief Supt. Roel Obusan as saying.
The first batch of applicants was recruited sometime in August or September last year and they grew suspicious of the recruiters when an eighth batch was recruited and no one is being deployed abroad.
“Sabi niya, by December makaalis na kayo. So by August pa lang, nag-provide na kami, nangutang, nagbenta ng lupa, kung saan na naghanap ng pera yung mga kasama namin,” the report quoted complainant Dulce Teaño as saying.
Nakai and Tan will be charged with violation of Republic Act No. 8042 or Large Scale Illegal Recruitment and Article 315 or Large-Scale Estafa.
Aspiring overseas workers can easily check at www.poea.gov.ph whether or not their recruiter has a POEA license to recruit.
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