Thursday, August 30, 2007 Malig: Illegal hiring of 'seamen' in Pampanga By Jun A. Malig Cognition
"BEWARE of two recruiters of fishermen. 'Step Up Employment Agency' and 'Tien Lung Marine Seafarers TS Overseas Pte. Ltd', both without license and job orders approved by the POEA, are reported to be recruiting Filipino fishermen for non-existent jobs in Taiwan and South Africa."
The above paragraph is posted as an OFW Advisory in the official website of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration yesterday. It warns against very enterprising individuals who recruit "seamen" and have been promising applicants at least US$750 monthly salaries.
Last Tuesday morning, operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-Pampanga led by Superintendent Florendo Saligao arrested in an entrapment operation a suspected illegal recruiter in the City of San Fernando.
Saligao identified the suspect as Rodolfo Pation y Tacubansa, 46, married, and resident of Barangay Dolores, City of San Fernando. The entrapment operation against him was planned after 15 complainants trooped to the CIDG-Pampanga office in Angeles City to file their complaints against Patio who has been allegedly recruiting seamen for Argentina, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore under a recruitment agency known as Tien Lung (Sea Dragon) International Marine Services.
CIDG operatives arrested Patio after receiving marked money from an applicant, identified as Paul Christian Gomez, 28, of Dinalupihan, Bataan. Gomez and Patio met at the McDonald's Restaurant in the City of San Fernando for the "payment" of recruitment fees. Patio is currently facing charges of large-scale estafa and illegal recruitment.
Among the complainants were Buddy Castro, 28, of Sindalan, City of San Fernando and Christopher Roque of Floridablanca town, who each paid P76,000 to Patio some weeks ago. They said the suspect had promised them "seaman" jobs with monthly salary of US$750.
The two took off to Singapore via Diosdado Macapagal International Airport in Clark Field last August 13. Before boarding the airplane, Castro and Roque, along with three other companions, were allegedly made to sign a document, which described to them by their recruiter as "insurance."
Upon reaching Singapore their supposed employer, a certain Mr. Tan Cheng, fetched them from the airport. They were told that their monthly salary would be only US$160. Shocked, the victims complained that they were promised US $750 salary.
"Pero sinabi sa amin nung employer na nakasaad sa pinirmahan naming kontrata na akala naming ay insurance lang talaga gaya ng pagkakasabi sa amin na US$160 lang ang magiging suweldo namin. Hindi kasi pinakita kung ano ang nakasulat sa pinirmahan namin, nakatupi nung pirmahan namin at akala naming totoong insurance lang yon," Castro told reporters at the CIDG-Pampanga office last Tuesday.
Fortunately for Castro and another companion, they were able to buy a plane ticket for his return to the Philippines. Roque and the two others had no money to buy plane tickets and just decided to accept the US$160 salary. They were escorted to Hong Kong but immigration officials in the former crown colony found out that they were carrying fake seaman's books and documents. They were detained for a day and eventually deported to the Philippines.
"Nararapat lamang na makasuhan at makulong si Rudy Patio dahil sa ginawa niya sa amin at para din a siya makapambiktima ng iba pang tao," the victims said.
Reporters tried but failed to get the side of Patio.
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The POEA advises the following to avoid illegal recruitment:
1. Do not apply at recruitment agencies not licensed by POEA.
2. Do not deal with licensed agencies without job orders.
3. Do not deal with any person who is not an authorized representative of a licensed agency.
4. Do not transact business outside the registered address of the agency. If recruitment is conducted in the province, check if the agency has a provincial recruitment authority.
5. Do not pay more than the allowed placement fee. It should be equivalent to one-month salary, exclusive of documentation and processing costs.
6. Do not pay any placement fee unless you have a valid employment contract and an official receipt.
7. Do not be enticed by ads or brochures requiring you to reply to a Post Office (P.O.) Box, and to enclose payment for processing of papers.
8. Do not deal with training centers and travel agencies, which promise overseas employment.
