AGENTS from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) arrested a woman in Baras, Rizal for allegedly running a large-scale illegal recruitment scheme and committing estafa.
The suspect, a pastor affiliated with Faithful Promise Foundation Phils, Inc., was caught in an entrapment operation led by the NBI Cavite North District Office (Cavido-North), following a complaint filed by four individuals who said they were promised overseas jobs.
According to the investigation, the woman, along with her husband and niece, posed as authorized recruiters and lured applicants with offers of high-paying jobs in Korea, Japan, and Australia.
Victims were reportedly asked to pay P50,000 as a processing fee, under the guise of becoming missionary workers. However, authorities confirmed the group had no license to recruit workers for overseas employment.
The operation was conducted in coordination with the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), which originally flagged the case.
A follow-up operation is now underway to track down the suspect's accomplices.
The arrested woman is facing charges of Large-Scale Illegal Recruitment under the Migrant Workers Act and Estafa under the Revised Penal Code. She has been turned over to the Department of Justice for inquest proceedings. (JGS/SunStar Philippines)