Korean, 2 Filipinos arrested for alleged illegal recruitment

Agents from the National Bureau of Investigation have arrested a Korean and two Filipino women for allegedly illegally recruiting women to become entertainers in South Korea.

According to a report by John Consulta on 24 Oras on Monday, the NBI said that the syndicate the three suspects belonged to would recruit women through Facebook, offering them jobs as singers and dancers in South Korea.

The applicants would then be ushered into a room in a five-star hotel in Metro Manila individually to audition "one on one" for the Korean.

"Parang may mali, na iba 'yung gusto nilang mangyari or gawin sa amin pag nandoon na kami mismo sa Korea," said "Kimmy," one of the complainants.

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) confirmed to the NBI that it had no registration records for the three suspects, who had been operating since 2015.

"Malaki ang posibilidad na nauuwi sa prostitution ang kababayan natin kaya dapat mag-ingat sila sa mga ganitong modus," said NBI-Interpol chief Ronald Aguto.

The suspects are facing syndicated large-scale illegal recruitment charges, which are non-bailable. They did not issue a statement.

Aguto urged the public not to be quick to believe online job offers, no matter how good they sound. 

"Huwag silang basta-bastang maniniwala pag may nakikita sila, especially sa social media, na may magandang trabaho abroad. Especially if it's too good to be true. Mag-verify muna sila sa mga ahensiya ng gobyerno, gaya ng sa POEA," he said. — BM, GMA News