Charges filed vs. owner and staff of recruitment agency

CEBU, Philippines - The proprietor and two staff of a recruitment agency have been charged with Syndicated Illegal Recruitment before the Regional Trial Court after allegedly duping and failing to deploy two nurses whom they promised jobs as caregivers in the United Kingdom almost four years ago.

Complainants Elaine Lapera and Ophelia Abangan have filed charges against proprietor Leonila Wilson, manager Sergio Vicera and cashier Minerva Vicera of Europa International, a land based agency whose license was suspended by the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency last January 3, 2007.

On May 25, 2005, the complainants who are both registered nurses were recruited by the three as caregivers to UK with a monthly salary of more than P100,000.

As placement and processing fee, Lapera paid respondents P27,890 and US$ 2,000 while Abangan paid P82,500.

Abangan was promised that she would be deployed on October 2005 and Lapera will be deployed three months after.

No such deployment materialized and worried about losing the money that they paid, the complainants asked for a refund.

Instead of a refund, the agency reportedly promised the complainants that they would be deployed in the coming months.

When no deployment really happened, the agency allegedly promised to return their money on February 2007.

This never happened as the agency was ordered closed on January that year by the POEA due to the alleged inclusion of Wilson in the POEA’s list of those with derogatory records.

Due to the company’s failure to refund the payments of the complainants, the said case was elevated to the RTC. — Jasmin R. Uy/NLQ (THE FREEMAN)