By Katrina Gracia Consebido
A major illegal recruiter in Paete, Laguna was shut down by the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) following complaints from victims who were charged placement fees of up to 350,000 but were not deployed abroad.
The entrapment and rescue operations were conducted in a residence along Adea Street in Iligan del Norte, Poblacion Paete, Laguna.
Arrested in the operations was a 39-year-old Jonnalyn Sebastian, one of four members of the illegal recruitment ring. Around 33 overseas job applicants were rescued.
“Sebastian, given the sheer number of complainants, faces a non-bailable offense and possibly, a lifetime of jail time,” DMW Secretary Susan Ople said.
Ople thanked the Philippine National Police and Laguna’s provincial government for their assistance and “for their full support to the DMW’s fight against illegal recruitment and human trafficking.”
The DMW’s Anti-Illegal Recruitment Branch began its surveillance operations following complaints from three overseas job applicants who were charged P100,000 to P350,000 for training, medical, and other expenses.
The “advance placement fees” were said to be in exchange for “guaranteed” caregiver jobs in Malta and Malaysia. Those who could not pay the fees were advised to avail of loans that will be repaid through salary deductions.
Sebastian told victims that she is a “coordinator” of a “government-to-government program” of a “licensed recruitment agency.”
The DMW said it is helping all 33 rescued illegal recruitment victims document their complaints.
Sebastian will face non-bailable economic sabotage charges for large-scale illegal recruitment.
Sebastian was taken to the Department of Justice, while the PNP’s Trafficking in Persons unit is pursuing Sebastian’s husband and two other accomplices. -ag
