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| Bagay (in white) confer with the complainants as Asst Labor Attache Tony Villafuerte looks on |
Two officials from the Department of Migrant Workers spent nearly the whole day Sunday, August 13, interviewing nine of the 11 Filipino domestic workers in Hong Kong who have filed complaints against Cebu-based recruiters who allegedly defrauded them of more than Php1.2 million.
Lawyers Francis Bagay and Rachel Zozobrado-Nagayo listened to the overseas Filipino workers recount how they were lured by the recruiters into paying an average of $18,700 each (P132,000) on the pretext that they could secure student visas to Canada for them in just three months.
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| PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE! |
The complaints were against PinoyCare Visa Center-Opportunities Abroad Visa Processing Services and its officers and staff who came to Hong Kong on February 19 and June 18 this year to recruit applicants, led by their chief executive officer Prisca Nina Mabatid and her lawyer-partner, Russ Mark Gamallo.
The complainants, two of whom were in the Philippines on family emergencies, also named fellow OFW Bryan Apostol Calagui among the respondents, claiming he was the one who enticed them to apply for the student visas through his widely-followed social media platforms.
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Apart from their statements prepared by the Mission for Migrant Workers and notarized by the Philippine Consulate General, the complainants also handed videos which captured the promises made by Mabatid and Gamallo, as well as Calagui’s endorsements.
During their talks in Hong Kong, Mabatid and Gamallo told the applicants they could work and earn enough in Canada once they got there on a student visa, that Mabatid would lend them P1million each to support their application, and that they need not worry about getting accepted into a school, or of getting a failing mark.
They were also assured that their visa application would be approved within only three months at most.
The complainants alleged that the acts by the recruiters constituted human trafficking, if not massive illegal recruitment. Apart from asking that the respondents be arrested and prosecuted for the alleged illegal acts, the complainants are also demanding the return of their money.
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| Pindutin para sa detalye |
After the interviews that lasted from morning and until late afternoon, Bagay and Nagayo told the complainants that they were given 15 days to make their assessments and recommendations, so they could expect to hear of any new developments after that.
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| Philippines-based complainants took their cases directly to DMW in Manila |
Ahead of their visit to Hong Kong, DMW Undersecretary Hans Cacdac told some 20 Philippines-based complainants against Mabatid and company who met with him on August 4 at his office in Pasig City that he was with them in their “advocacy.”
In fact, Cacdac said he had already endorsed the case to the National Bureau of Investigation for possible prosecution.
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| PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE |
He added that the case that will be filed on behalf of the Philippine complainants would likely be massive illegal recruitment and possibly, syndicated estafa. Both of these charges are non-bailable, and punishable by life imprisonment if proven.
For those who are abroad and could no longer claim to having been illegally recruited, he said the proper charge would be human trafficking, which is equally severe.
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| PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE |
Also consulted by the DMW team who visited Hong Kong were Mission case officers Edwina Antonio and Esther Bangcawayan, who assisted, and helped prepare the complainants’ sworn statements.
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| Mabatid promised HK applicants a 'loan' of P1M at zero interest to support their applications |
The investigators also spoke
with The SUN editor Daisy CL Mandap who witnessed how Mabatid promised to refund
the applicants’ money after police were called as she and her team embarked on
a second recruitment drive on June 18 this year.
Despite her pledge, Mabatid failed to show up at the Consulate the next Sunday, June 25, to meet with the complainants and give back their money.
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| BOOK YOUR FLIGHTS NOW! PRESS FOR DETAILS |
One of her staff who identified herself as Al Lagradilla said in a phone call to a complainant that Mabatid decided to renege on her promise on the advice of her lawyers, as it was supposedly made under duress.
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| BASAHIN ANG DETALYE |
After Mabatid failed to show up to refund the irate applicants' money, Consulate officials started looking into the case on the instruction of DMW Secretary Susan Ople, who also designated Usec Cacdac to lead the inquiry.
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| PADALA NA! |
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