Illegal recruiter nabbed for offering fake employment papers to OFWs

Authorities arrested an alleged illegal recruiter who duped four overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) into accepting fake overseas employment certificates (OECs) for their supposed jobs abroad.

In a press briefing on Monday, Migrant Workers Undersecretary Bernard Olalia said the suspect was arrested in an entrapment operation after the OFWs sought the help of authorities.

The illegal recruiter allegedly persuaded the OFWs, who previously held valid OECs, to talk to a supposed employer abroad. However, the supposed employer is actually blacklisted by the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).

“Fine-fake yung kanyang OEC at pag dating po sa BI, siyempre ang Bureau of Immigration (BI) ay may matibay na ugnayan sa DMW, at pag nakita na fake ang OEC, offloaded ang ating OFW,” Olalia said.

(The supposed employer provided fake OECs, and once the BI, of course the BI has a strong coordination with the DMW. Once they see that the OEC is fake, the OFW will be offloaded.)

The four OFWs previously had employment in Saudi Arabia. They are supposedly headed for Abu Dhabi and Lebanon with a promised monthly salary of $400 to $450.

The DMW then coordinated with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for the entrapment operation to arrest the alleged illegal recruiter.

The suspect is now facing charges of large-scale illegal recruitment, a non-bailable offense.

Olalia warned Filipinos to avoid accepting work abroad from illegal recruiters.

“Dumaan tayo sa proseso at tutulong kami. Hahanap kami ng employer kung kayo man ay nahihirapang humanap ng employer,” he said.

(Go through the proper process, and we will help you look for an employer.) — JMA, GMA Integrated News