ACTING on a Dabawenyo’s information of an alleged illegal recruitment activity on its official Facebook page, the Department of Migrant Workers-Davao Region (DMW-Davao) endorsed the report to the National Bureau of Investigation-Southeastern Mindanao Regional Office (NBI-Semro) leading to a criminal investigation of three reported illegal recruiters last March 2, 2024 in Toril, Davao City by the City Prosecution Office.

One of the recruiters, who earlier posted on FB under the name Lea Bernardino Rivero, was accosted together with two others after they were caught in the act of recruiting women aged 21-32 years old with a promise of employment as entertainers bound for Japan at Batolusa Elementary School in Toril, Davao City by NBI operatives, some of whom were posing as applicants. 

The FB post of Rivero reads: “Massive Ramping for Talents for Japan. I need 50 ladies ages 21-32 who can sing and dance.”

“The DMW-11 hails our Dabawenya who alarmed us about the FB post through our FB page… Illegal recruitment committed by the perpetrators could not have been effectively thwarted. The perpetrators are not licensed neither authorized to perform acts of recruitment and the agency/ies they represent are not even duly-licensed Philippine recruitment agencies.

The March 2 incident underscores the indispensable role our residents and communities play in the fight against illegal recruitment and trafficking in persons. As such, the DMW-11 shall strengthen its partnership with the local government units, including the barangays to prevent illegal recruiters and traffickers from victimizing our OFWs and their families,” Angela Librado-Trindad of DMW-Davao stated.  

DMW-Davao urges the public to continue being alert with the schemes of illegal recruiters and to immediately report any suspicious recruitment activity to airtipinfo@dmw.gov.ph or davao@dmw.gov.ph or DMW-Davao Region FB page. PIA-DAVAO/PR

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