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Friday, June 03, 2005
Mayor's 'friend' nabbed for illegal recruitment
By Ben O. Tesiorna
DAVAO CITY -- A woman suspected of illegal recruitment and who claimed to be a doctor, close friend, and relative of Mayor Rodrigo Duterte was arrested Wednesday night along with five other suspects.
Police identified the woman as Maria Victoria Villanueva, 34. Police said Villanueva claimed she was a cardiologist. Arrested along with her were Matilde Alquizar, 47; Rosalina Lagazo, 69; Anthony Capul, 20; Ronald Bangonan, 34; and a 17-year-old boy whose name is being withheld because he is a minor.
All the suspects were residents of Calinan, Davao City and they were arrested for allegedly illegally recruiting around 30 residents of their barangay.
The victims said Villanueva demanded application fee of 25,000 to P30,000 in exchange for giving them work in the United States.
The victims said Villanueva even bragged to them that Duterte was providing her with bodyguards.
Villanueva also claimed that she was a daughter of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos as well as a friend and relative of Duterte.
She denied claiming to be the mayor's friend and relative, though, when police presented her to Duterte Thursday afternoon.
"Mura man bitaw ug paryente nako ni. Bi patan-aw sa imong nawong. Magparyente ba ta," Duterte asked Villanueva in front of the media and the victims. (She could be my relative. Here, let me look at your face. Could we be related?)
Villanueva also claimed she was doctor and took blood samples from the victims supposedly for their blood examination as required in their job application.
During Thursday's presentation, Duterte asked the victims as to why they were easily duped by the suspects when they could have easily checked the authenticity of their claim with the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA).
The victims told the mayor they were enticed by Villanueva since she told them initially there would be "no money involved" in their application for US employment.
Authorities discovered the suspects also operate in General Santos, Cebu, Panabo, Tagum and Agusan.
When he learned about this, Duterte ordered the police to dig deeper into the case and coordinate with the POEA in building a strong case against the suspects.
He recommended the filing of a large-scale illegal recruitment case, which is non-bailable, against the suspects.
Police took custody of Villanueva's Revo vehicle as part of the evidence. (Sun.Star Davao/Sunnex)
(June 3, 2005 issue)
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Public also to blame for corruption: Arroyo aide