Egyptian, 2 Pinoys nabbed for duping aspiring OFWs

An Egyptian and two Filipinos were arrested in an entrapment operation by the Task Force Against Illegal Recruitment (TFAIR) for alleged illegal recruitment of aspiring overseas Filipino workers, Vice President Jejomar Binay said.

Binay, whose office supervises the TFAIR, said Egyptian Samir Mohamed Seif Alyazal, Lukniya Abdul Halim and Susan Fernandez Garcia (both Filipinos), were arrested by elements of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group of the Philippine National Police (PNP-CIDG) last December 29, at the Great Eastern Hotel (Aberdeen Court) Makati City.

He said the suspects allegedly violated Republic Act 8042, or the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995, after they tried to recruit workers without the authority and license to recruit from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA).

The complainants told the CIDG that Alyazal, Halim, and Garcia promised them jobs in Kuwait with a monthly salary of 700 Kuwait Dinar or more than P100,000.

Binay said preliminary investigation on the case will be on January 11. “We will not rest until we put an end to illegal recruitment and human trafficking in the Philippines," he added.

The vice president said the suspects are now at the PNP Detention Center in Camp Crame.

Last week, the TFAIR also filed estafa and illegal recruitment charges against two Britons and a Filipino for allegedly scamming around P1.7 million in processing and placement fees from aspiring OFWs.

The TFAIR is composed of the PNP, POEA, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). — Kimberly Jane Tan/LBG/RSJ, GMANews.TV