Illegal recruitment suspect falls in Zambo

ZAMBOANGA CITY—A suspected illegal recruiter, who has been on the run for the past nine years, was arrested during a joint police and military operation here on Thursday.

Supt. Luisitio Magnaye, the city police director, said Bless Grace Hernandez-Ardona, a resident of this city, was about to leave for Malaysia when she was arrested at the Zamboanga City port shortly after 2 p.m. on Thursday.

“There is a standing warrant of arrest against her,” Magnaye said.

He said Ardona was ordered arrested by Judge Jose A. Mendoza, of the Regional Trial Court 55 in the National Capital Region, for alleged estafa and illegal recruitment.

Chief Insp. Helen Galvez, the spokesperson of the Zamboanga City police office, said the city police worked with the Field Station Southwestern Mindanao, Police Center for Transnational Crime, Naval Intelligence and Security Group Western Mindanao, Maritime Group, National Bureau of Investigation, Department of Justice Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking and the Bureau of Immigration for the joint operation that led to Ardona’s arrest.

Sources said charges of human trafficking are being prepared against Ardona.

The arrested suspect is currently under the custody of the Zamboanga City police’s station 11 while her transfer to Manila is being processed, Galvez said.

Estafa is punishable by imprisonment of  six months to  13 years, while illegal recruitment is punishable by 12 years to life in prison, if there are more than three victims. Both cases are bailable. Julie Alipala, Inquirer Mindanao