Job applicants nab illegal recruiter

MANILA, Philippines – Job applicants nabbed their alleged illegal recruiter Tuesday night in front of a fast food restaurant in Quiapo, Manila and turned him over to the police.

Osmando Habilag, 63, had victimized more than 200 people seeking jobs abroad,   according to Supt. Roque Merdegia Jr., Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Anti-Transnational Crime Unit chief. 

In a report to CIDG director Chief Supt. Roel Obusan, Merdegia said more than 50 complainants from Davao City accompanied by administrator Hans Cacdac of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration and Susan Ople of the Blas Ople Foundation, sought the assistance of the CIDG to arrest Habilag and a certain Alejandro Navarro Jr., business partners of the Bantayog Travel and Tours in Tanza, Cavite.

In statements, some victims said Habilag and Navarro started to recruit them since December 2015 for work as butchers and English teachers in Japan, Australia and New Zealand for fees ranging from P40,000 to P250,000.

“However, no applicants were able to leave and work abroad,” he said.

Upon verification at POEA, Bantayog  Travel and Tours is not authorized to recruit for work abroad, Merdegia said.