POEA vows crackdown on illegal recruiters operating abroad

POEA logo (PNA photo)

MANILA — Filipino nationals engaged in illegal recruitment and human trafficking outside the country can be reached and prosecuted by the long arm of Philippine law, Philippine Overseas Employment Administration chief warned.

POEA Administrator Bernard Olalia said there are ways by which the Philippine government can force illegal recruiters and human traffickers operating outside the country to get back to Manila to face criminal charges.

“Even if offenders hide in remote parts of the world, the government can ask for their extradition to face charges in the country,” he said at the Global Online Conference of Overseas Filipinos held at PTTC in Pasay city by the Alliance of Overseas Filipinos (AOFC) , a Hong Kong-based NGO.

STRADCOM Corp., Pagcor, PLDT and Maynilad sponsored the conference shown live and watched by more than 22,000 overseas Filipinos in Hong Kong, Singapore and other countries in Asia, the Middle East, Europe and North America.

Jeffrey Valdez, vice consul at the Philippine embassy in Moscow, said  up to 90 to 95 percent of about 5,000 Filipino domestics are working illegally today in Russia since there are no work visas for foreign helpers in that country.

Olalia said illegal recruiters can be charged with criminal offenses for illegal recruitment, estafa for exorbitant charges on jobseekers and human trafficking.

“If criminal charges are filed against illegal recruiters and if warrants of arrest are issued against them, these arrest warrants can be served anywhere in the world and the government can ask for their extradition to Manila so they can face criminal charges,” he said.

AOFC president Juanito Concepcion said illegal recruiters and human traffickers are making a mockery of Philippine laws by operating with impunity outside the Philippines.

“Unless the government successfully prosecutes  illegal recruiters, notably a notorious Filipino national in Hong Kong, more OFWs will be victimized and offenders will continue to mock Philippine laws,”he said.

Michelle Rocas, an ex-OFW in Hong Hong and Russia, said the POEA should make good its vow to chase after and prosecute Filipinos engaged in illegal recruitment and human trafficking in Hong Kong and Russia.

“A Filipino woman and her sister, who operate separate recruitment agencies in Hong Kong, continue to send Filipino domestics to Russia illegally from Hong Kong, Manila, the Middle East and elsewhere.

“They operate with impunity in connivance with certain Filipinos in Russia and the government can’t seem to do anything to stop members of this syndicate,” she said.

Nhie Lopos, an OFW now working in Russia, said the POEA should immediately take action against illegal recruiters and human traffickers operating in that country.

“More and more OFWs are arriving here from the Philippines, Hong Kong, Malaysia and other countries and this means illegal recruiters, including OFWs, are very active here,” she said.

Olalia said: “There are no jobs in Russia for Filipino helpers as there are no working visas for foreign helpers. So anyone arranging jobs for helpers in Russia is committing an offense under Philippine laws.”

A video interview with Olalia about illegal recruitment and human trafficking can be viewed at the Facebook page of Alliance of Overseas Filipinos.