Authorities have arrested a religious group leader for allegedly orchestrating illegal recruitment schemes targeting Filipinos seeking employment in Japan and South Korea, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said.
DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said Bishop Reynaldo Basalio was apprehended during a joint operation with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in the vicinity of the Faithful Promise Foundation Philippines Inc. church in Baras, Rizal.
The operation conducted on Monday, Sept.15, was a follow-up to the DMW raid in April this year which resulted in the arrest of Basalio’s wife Pastora Esclarmonde Estrada Basalio, also for illegal recruitment.
He said the church was being used as a front for his illegal recruitment for jobs in Japan, South Korea and Papua New Guinea like factory workers, tea pickers, clerks, accountants, mechanical engineers, and construction workers.
According to the information received by the DMW, Basalio is charging at least P50,000 per applicant for the processing fee.
“The religious couple promises jobs with salaries ranging from P36,000 to P120,000,” said Cacdac.
“Under the guise of missionary work, victims were issued tourist visas and instructed to tell Immigration they were missionaries. Some victims were offloaded, others were deployed, and some are still awaiting deployment,” he added.
Cacdac said Bishop Basalio will face charges of Large-Scale Illegal Recruitment, a non-bailable offense under Republic Act 8042, or the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act.
Cacdac said other victims may report their cases to the MWPB through the official Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/dmwairtip) for assistance in filing complaints.
“The DMW reiterates its warning to the public against unlicensed recruiters and advises job seekers to always verify agencies through the DMW official website at dmw.gov.ph,” said Cacdac. (Aaron Recuenco)
