Firm manager accused of illegal recruitment

POLICE arrested a manager of a visa processing company for his alleged involvement in illegal recruitment activities in Cebu City.

Christian Ramos Lopez, 28, manager of Global Visas, was arrested last Wednesday in an entrapment operation in his office at Dyno Building at the corner of Llorente and Juana Osmena Streets, Cebu City.

The company’s legal counsel, Enno Fernandez, denied that the company was involved in illegal recruitment.

He said the company was into processing of tourist and fiancee visas.

SPO3 Rene Cerna said the arrest was based on the complaint of Annaliza Baldecir, a 39-year-old woman from Mandaue City, who alleged that Global Visas recruited her to work abroad.

Baldecir said a friend based in London told her that Global Visas was hiring workers for Australia.

She said she applied through online since February and that the company promised her that she will be given work and Visa six months after the application.

Baldecir said she had paid P100,000 for the application but the company didn’t fulfill its promise six months after she applied.

The woman sought help from the police when the company stopped responding to her queries.

Members of the Operatives of Investigation and Detective Management Branch (IDMB) set up an entrapment operation when the company allegedly demanded additional P30,000 from the complainant.

Police said Lopez was arrested after he received P20,000 from Baldicer.

Fernandez said the police conducted the entrapment hastily and did not conduct a surveillance before acting on the complaint./CORRESPONDENT CHITO O. ARAGON