NEWS BRIEFS

BRIT NABBED FOR CARNAP

A 56-YEAR-OLD British national was arrested by police for alleged carnapping last Saturday morning in barangay Jubay, Lilo-an town, north  Cebu.

Collin Pulman   is detained in Lilo-an police precinct following his arrest by virtue of a  warrant   issued Aug. 28 by Executive Judge Rustico Parangga of Branch 28 of the Regional Trial Court  in Mambajao town, Camiguin province.

Pulman peacefully surrendered to SPO4 Alex Pepito and his team around 10:50 a.m. last Saturday while in his house with his live-in partner and a 3-year-old son.

PO2 Rutchel Jugalbot, desk officer of Lilo-an police precinct said  Pulman’s wife Amelita Jabonggan in Camiguin filed the carnapping case against him.

Pulman was using a jeep as his vehicle  when he arrived in Lilo-an three years ago.

Lilo-an police are coordinating with counterparts in Camiguin on to bring Pulman to court to face charges. /Correspondent Norman V. Mendoza

VICTIMS OF ‘ILLEGAL RECRUITERS’ SPEAK UP

SHE sold a laptop computer and multicab vehicle to raise P70,000 as down payment for her son’s United Kingdom visa application and orientation for a caregiving job.

Cecelia (not her real name) encouraged her son to apply for the job at the invitation of a friend, Eva (not her real name), from Carmen town, north Cebu.

“I even thanked her for giving us the opportunity and told her that I’ll repay her goodness once my son gets to work,” she said.

It turned out that Eva victimized Cecelia’s son and 22 others. Eva and a daughter allegedly ran Macdowell Direct Hiring, which they claimed was  looking for caregivers in London.

Eva told the victims that her other daughter once worked in London and returned to Cebu in search of more caregivers.

Among the 23 victims was a factory worker for 12 years who quit her job for the prospect of earning  more than P200,000 per month as a caregiver.

“They told me that every year, we are allowed to have a one month vacation with salary and free back and forth tickets. They told me to pay P120,000 for the processing of my visa,” Antonette (not her real name) said.

Even a public school principal was tempted to apply for the said job.

“I sold five of my pigs. I gave the P45,000 to them. My children were all mad of me,” the principal said.

A private nurse, who learned about the recruitment through a friend, spent P20,000 for the orientation.

“In this difficult time, we all just want to get a bigger salary for a better future for our family. So, I just grabbed the opportunity,” he said.

Senior Insp. Bonifacio Arriesgado, chief of police in Carmen said Eva and Terry were arrested in Tuburan last Thursday afternoon after victims sought the help of the police while Rose surrendered in the police precinct a day after. Arriesgado said charges of large-scale illegal recruitment will be filed against the suspects. /Correspondent Carine M. Asutilla