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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider DMW shuts down Rizal church for alleged illegal recruitment activities, religious leader nabbed

DMW shuts down Rizal church for alleged illegal recruitment activities, religious leader nabbed

Published Apr 29, 2025 07:13 am

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DMW personnel and NBI agents implements a closure order  on Monday, April 28, 2025 on the  Faithful Promise Foundation Philippines Inc. located in Baras, Rizal which is allegedly being used for illegal recruitment activities. (photo: DMW)

 

Personnel of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), backed by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), shut down a church in Rizal which is allegedly being used as front for illegal recruitment activities. 

DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said the operation also resulted in the arrest of Pastora Esclarmonde Estrada Basalio, who was tagged in the alleged recruitment of workers without a license from the government, using the Faithful Promise Foundation Philippines Inc. 

He said Basalio was allegedly recruiting her parishioners for jobs in Japan, Korea, and Papua New Guinea.  

DMW Undersecretary Bernard P. Olalia said the operation was carried out on Monday, April 28, after they confirmed the intelligence reports about the illegal activities in the area.

“They first victimized their parishioners and it was actually their members who gave us the information about it. We validated the information and indeed there were complainants so we have no option but to conduct this operation,” said Olalia.

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NBI agents lead an alleged leader of the Faithful Promise Foundation Philippines Inc. which was tagged in illegal recruitment activities during an operation in Baras, Rizal on Monday, April 28, 2025.

 

He said most victims were bound for Japan for construction work and basic elementary occupations.  

Based on the complaints, the recruiter promised jobs such as factory workers, tea pickers, clerks, accountants, mechanical engineers, and construction workers in Japan, Korea, and Papua New Guinea, with salaries ranging from P36,000 to P120,000.

The recruiter would allegedly charge victims P50,000 each for processing fees and documents under the guise of community work.  

Under the guise of missionary work, the DMW said the victims were issued tourist visas and instructed to tell Immigration they were missionaries. 

“Some victims were offloaded, others were deployed, and some are still awaiting deployment,” said Olalia.

He then urged all victims to report their cases to the DMW.  

 

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