By Alec Go
The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said maritime firm JCB-Success Maritime Consultancy Services in Sta. Cruz, Manila was ordered to shut down due to alleged illegal recruitment activities.
The consultancy firm’s office was padlocked on Wednesday afternoon, March 29, by the Migrant Workers Protection Bureau.
“We encourage victims of illegal recruitment and human trafficking to report these crimes to us. Workers’ protection is one of the core functions of the DMW,” DMW Secretary Susan Ople said.
Based on the sworn testimony of one of the victims, he and other applicants were never deployed despite paying P75,000 placement fees each.
The victim, who applied as engine cadet in September 2021, received his travel documents in August 2022. However, his visa was tampered.
He then proceeded to the DMW for a report in October 2022.
Based on surveillance operations, the firm did not have a DMW permit to recruit and deploy seafarers even if it claims to have been deploying since November 2022.
The JCB-Success Maritime Consultancy Services and its personnel now have derogatory records and will be barred from the government’s overseas recruitment program.
They will also face illegal recruitment cases. – gb
