CITY OF SAN FERNANDO --- Fifteen Kapampangan from Lubao town who sought the assistance of Governor Lilia G. Pineda through the Pampanga Action Center for Overseas Filipino Workers’ Concern (PACOC) had filed in court large scale estafa and illegal recruitment against a suspected group of illegal recruiters who enticed them to work in Africa.
PACOC Chief Eliza Rey Munoz immediately coordinated with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for further investigation and filing of appropriate cases against the group responsible for the alleged illegal recruitment activities in Lubao.
Munoz identified the victims as Ruben Larioza, Robert Chavez, Rody Evangelista, Romeo Manalansan, Arnold dela Cruz, Joel Manalansan, Marcos Manalansan, Ramil Sangalang, Alvin Dela Pena and other five more complainants.
The victims through PACOC had also named the members of the suspected group of illegal recruiters operating in Lubao as Cynthia Soria Benitez of Tabaco, Albay, Mario Pallasigue of Mexico, Pampanga, April Anne Perez Mariano and former Barangay Kagawad Rustico Manalansan. The victims said these suspects promised them jobs and deployment in Africa.
The three identified suspects were former co-workers and friends of Rustico who allegedly induced him to recruit his town mates and relatives to work in Africa in exchange for his alleged free deployment and employment in the same country plus “commission”.
Munoz said, Rustico was able to recruit 22 among his friends and relatives in Barangay Balantacan and in Sitio Mansanitas, Sta. Cruz, Lubao. ”Siya ay pangdalawampu’s tatlo sa mga dapat sanang pupunta sa Africa,” Munoz said.
In their complaint affidavit, the victims disclosed that they paid the suspects a total amount of P353,000 for the processing and placement fees and in exchange for sure employment in Africa as skilled construction workers.
“We were promised to receive each $700 up to $900 monthly salary. Kaya nahingan kami ng hindi bababa sa P35,000 kada isa dahil sa ang full payment ay hanggang P60,000,” the victims bared.
However, the victims lamented that they were surprised when they were given computer generated working visa in Qatar instead of Africa which they did not immediately find out as “fake” visa until such time that they have waited for several months and the suspects failed to arrange their deployment in Africa.
Munoz said this was the time the victims began to believe that they were victimized by illegal recruiters, hence, they sought the assistance of PACOC which the latter eventually coordinated with the NBI.
She added, the victims only want their money back and put the suspects in jail.
Munoz said the governor has instructed her office to work closely with other concerned line agencies of the government to assist the families and the Kapampangan OFWs who are seeking greener pasture abroad and help the law enforcers in giving justice to OFW victims of illegal recruitment through the enforcement of the full force of the law.
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