CIDG rescues 40 women; illegal recruiters arrested

MANILA, Philippines–Forty women, including a minor, who were kept in custody by illegal recruiters for almost a year, have been rescued in separate areas in Metro Manila and Cavite, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) said Friday.

The Anti-Transnational Crime Unit (ATCU) of the CIDG rescued on Thursday 40 victims who were promised jobs in the Middle East by AFT International Manpower Services.

Two female recruiters Pretty Mary Mahamud, alias Perla Lagarde, and Nilda Binondo were also arrested, Senior Superintendent John Guyguyon, ATCU chief, said in a report.

Lagarde and Binondo are allegedly employees of AFT International, which holds six offices located at the second floor of Gedisco Centre on Mabini Street in Ermita, Manila.

The two suspects claimed their office was a legitimate recruitment agency. The CIDG checked with the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration and found that the agency’s license to operate had already expired.

Guyguyon said the victims were said to be held by their recruiters in offices based in Aranay, Makati, Taguig City and Bacoor, Cavite.

Lagarde and Binondo allegedly misused the money from foreign employers who offered to shoulder the travel expenses and fees for processing the documents of the victims.

Mostly from the provinces of Palawan and Dumaguete, the victims were promised with overseas jobs without having to pay placement fees and other expenses.

But the victims were not able to leave the country. Instead, they were detained, verbally abused and treated “like animals” by their recruiters, CIDG chief Police Director Benjamin Magalong said.

The women were not allowed to leave the offices and to use their mobile phones.

Magalong said the victims were starved by the recruiters, who also took away their documents.

RELATED STORIES

Trafficked Filipino teachers urged to step forward

Faithful’s duty to fight human trafficking–Archbishop Soc Villegas