Victims of illegal recruitment seek NBI help

CEBU, Philippines —  At least 20 complainants trooped to the office of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)-7 claiming that they have been scammed by a group of recruiters.

The recruiters allegedly promised them jobs in Italy in exchange of P20,000 that most of them have paid on December 24, 2020.

In Toledo City alone, there were a total of 187 complainants who lodged their complaints against the same recruiters.

In an interview, one of the victims who refused to be named said that he was promised with a job as a welder.

“Unya ang usa mi maka-apply mohatag mi daan og 20K, dayon i-vaccine mi didto sa Carcar, nag-vaccine jud ko, anti-tetanus,” he told the media.

He said that he has a receipt of their transaction when he paid the P20,000 fee. He was then further assured that he will travel to Italy as soon as possible.

“Magpaabot lang daw mi sa advice didto sa site sa Italy nga maabot to ang working permit,” he added quoting the further reassurance of the recruiters.

The complainants are mostly former overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

However, after most of them have paid, the complainant said that the recruiters then told them more alibis on why their travel to Italy is delayed.

Since then, he suspected that the transaction could be false.

“So among NBI (clearance) mga among gikuha hapit na sad mo-expire, so mao to ni desisyon ko, pero pagdesisyon nako wala ko mitumbok sa ila nga scam sila,” he said.

He then demanded the recruiters to instead give him back the P20,000 he had already paid for the processing.

However, the recruiters told him back that to get his money he needs to submit a withdrawal letter.

“Pag-ingon niya nga kinahanglan kog withdrawal letter, ako syang gipatawag didto sa Barangay Bato, nag-atubang mi didto...mao to ako syang gipahunat og unsa gyuy status sa among 20K,” he said.

The recruiter, however, wasn’t able to provide them a valid reason and just said that they are “willing to be in prison.”

The accused individuals were reportedly known to be recruiters for a long time in their area.

The complainants have trusted them upon knowing that the recruiters were able to send OFWs in Saudi Arabia before. — GMR (FREEMAN)