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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider POEA warns public vs illegal recruiters posing as POEA employees

POEA warns public vs illegal recruiters posing as POEA employees

Published Jan 19, 2021 01:38 pm

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) warned the public against illegal recruiters claiming to be employees of the agency.

Philippine Overseas Employment Administration
(MANILA BULLETIN)

The warning was issued after POEA operatives and the Anti-Transnational Crime Unit of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG-ATCU) arrested four suspected illegal recruiters posing as employees of the POEA on Jan. 15.

During an entrapment operation in Quezon City, government agents arrested Roberto Bustillo, Christopher Bustillo, Catherine Balucanag, and Marites Magpoc who were reported to be recruiting Filipino workers for supposed overseas jobs.

The arrests were made following the complaints received by the POEA’s Anti-illegal Illegal Recruitment Branch from the alleged victims which were immediately reported to the PNP/CIDG-TACU for proper police action.

“The victims said four persons presented themselves as employees of the POEA and offered them jobs as farm workers in New Zealand in exchange for payment of the processing fees,” the POEA said.

The suspects were confirmed to be not employees of the POEA “nor they were authorized to recruit for overseas employment.” Aside from the marked money, the operatives recovered from the group fake POEA identification cards, employment contracts bearing the logo of the POEA, and several passports of the victims.

The POEA explained that Bustillo and his group are “currently under the custody” of the CIDG-ATCU and will be charged with estafa, syndicated illegal recruitment, and usurpation of authority. “The suspects will be facing possible lifetime imprisonment and millions of pesos in fines,” it added.

POEA Administrator Bernard Olalia urged other victims of the group to get in touch with the POEA Prosecution Division. He promised them “free legal assistance in the filing and prosecution of the cases.”

Olalia also reminded overseas job applicants to “always verify offers of employment” through the POEA website or its hotlines “when the recruiter asks for immediate payment of placement or processing fees.”

He urged the public to “report illegal recruitment activities” to the POEA Operations and Surveillance Division or to the Anti-Illegal Recruitment Branch. 

He said the number of illegal recruitment cases, especially those made online, has increased during the community quarantine restrictions brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

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