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| Tulfo wants the case against PCVC and Mabatid resolved by next month |
An agent of the National Bureau of Investigation has asked Senator Raffy Tulfo who heads the Senate Committee for Migrant Workers, to better protect victims of illegal recruiters and law enforcers tasked with helping them, saying those they complain about resort to harassment and intimidation to prevent their being hauled to court.
Agent PaulFred Tombali suggested to Senator Tulfo during a committee hearing on Monday, Aug 12,on several cases of unresolved illegal recruitment, that complainants as well as investigators in these cases should be given immunity from suit.
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| Basahin ang detalye! |
In reply, Tulfo said investigators should act more quickly on the complaints so cases could be filed immediately, and warrants of arrests issued accordingly, against the culprits.
Tombali cited as an example a recent attempt by Prisca Nina Mabatid, named as chief executive officer of PinoyCare Visa Center and Opportunities Abroad, to get Cebu City prosecutors to recommend the filing of unjust vexation chages against three complainants against her and her associates.
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| Tombali is asking immunity for complainants, investigators |
Luckily, the Cebu prosecutors decided to dismiss her complaint on June 18 without even conducting a preliminary investigation, citing a lack of probable cause. The fiscals mentioned that the respondents were merely asserting their right as alleged victims of an illegal recruitment, a case that was brought up not only in the media, but also during a Senate hearing.
In a separate briefing with OFW complainants in Hong Kong last month, a DMW official disclosed that even they were receiving threats for pursuing the cases.
The three complainants are pursuing a case of large-scale illegal recruitment and syndicated estafa against Mabatid and PCVC staff Adam Hechanova, Ma Teresa Binghay and Jhearlyn Jabellana, for allegedly luring them to pay around P139,000 each, after promising them student visas to Canada which never materialized.
Tombali, who is tasked with pursuing the various complaints against Mabatid and her PCVC group, said it would also help if they are given more funding to help the complainants, some of whom have to travel far to attend hearings and investigations.
Apart from a case filed on behalf of the three by the Department of Migrant Workers with the Laguna Prosecutors Office, the NBI has recommended the filing of similar charges against Mabatid and several other people with the Department of Justice in Manila.
Asked by Tulfo on the progress of the investigation, Tombali said the case was already submitted for resolution by the DoJ last month. On further prompting, he said it is possible a decision on whether a case will be filed in court will be issued by September.
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| Mabatid often posts photos of her with powerful politicians like Tulfo on social media |
“Aabangan ko yan,” (I will watch out for that) said Tulfo, who added he wanted warrants of arrest to be issued against the accused, and for them to be put on the Immigration watchlist “kasi ayaw ko naman na patuloy silang mag re recruit.”
Large-scale illegal recruitment and syndicated estafa are both non-bailable offences for which the prescribed maximum sentence is life imprisonment.
Earlier, Tulfo complained that it was taking the investigators a long time to act against the alleged illegal recruiters who he said had connived with some local government officials and even dared use his name, in perpetuating the alleged scam.
The Senate hearing also focused on complaints by dozens of would-be OFWs who claimed to have been illegally recruited by a certain Francia Bagasan who promised them jobs in Canada and Japan, but were abandoned after paying up to P130,000 each in processing fees.
The complainants said that a certain Joel Capua, who took part in the recruitment, had claimed to be an employee of the Bureau of Immigration. This claim was subsequently denied by the BI during an interview.
Responding to the complaints, DMW Secretary Hans Cacdac said many illegal recruiters are able to victimize a lot of people because of their grassroots-level connections. He said government agencies should step up their information dissemination at this level to curb the problem.
“Yung kanilang kakayahang manghikayat, ‘yung tamis ng kanilang mga dila at mga pangako, ‘101%,’ ‘yung mga ganoon, marami pa ring kumakagat sa mga ganong pain. Maaaring hindi fully or adequately informed, so I will still attribute this to a continuing information platform or program,” said Cacdac.
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| Cacdac says information at the grassroots is important to trump illegal recruitment |
(There are still many Filipinos who take the bait because of recruiters’ ability to convince, and their sweet words and promises like “101%.” It is likely they are still not fully or adequately informed, so I will still attribute this to the need for a continuing information platform or program).
Cacdac mentioned a “barangay-level intervention” program with the Department of the Interior and Local government which aims to put a stop to this practice, saying that some barangays, wittingly or unwittingly, become active participants in illegal recruitment.
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