POEA: Syndicate from Manila recruiting workers for Iraq

A syndicate from Manila is reportedly operating in Cebu for job recruitment to Iraq despite the ban being imposed by the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Evelia Durato, Philippine Overseas Employment Administration-7 officer in charge said she suspects a syndicate from Manila has established connections in Cebu or in the Visayas to recruit applicants to Iraq through tourist visas in Dubai.

She said this was "glaringly reported when two Cebuanos, Aldwin Pardillo and Ian David, were apprehended in Dubai last month."

Just very recently, two other Cebuanos came forward and admitted they were supposed to follow to Iraq, also to work.

However, the two Cebuanos, Durato, said came forward not to complain against their recruiters, but mainly to ask for the return of the P10,000 facilitation fee.

Durato also said these two Cebuanos presented to her two sets of passports given by their recruiters.

One set of passports was issued in May 2006 while the other set was issued in May 2004.

The two Cebuanos said they only received the two sets of passports recently.

The May 2004 passports were issued without the stamp "Not Valid for Travel to Iraq" because the intention was for recruitment to Iraq, Durato explained.

Durato said she has already endorsed the matter to DFA regional director Angel Espiritu as this concern is on passport issuance.

Espiritu for his part said he referred the matter to Manila since the second set of passports was issued there. - Ferliza C. Contratista/MEEV