The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) conducted a successful entrapment operation on February 21, leading to the arrest of a big-time illegal recruiter in Paete town, Laguna province.
DMW Secretary Susan “Toots” Ople announced on Thursday that the suspect, Jonnalyn M. Sebastian, was allegedly one of four members of an illegal recruitment ring that was shut down following the operation.
Thanks to the DMW’s swift response to complaints from three overseas job applicants, a total of 33 job seekers were prevented from becoming victims of illegal recruitment.
“Sebastian, given the sheer number of complainants, faces a non-bailable offense and possibly, a lifetime of jail time,” said Ople, expressing gratitude for the support of the PNP and the province of Laguna in the fight against illegal recruitment and human trafficking.
According to Ople, the victims had been charged between PHP100,000 and PHP350,000 as “advance placement fees” for “guaranteed” jobs as caregivers in Malta and Malaysia.
Sebastian allegedly identified herself as the coordinator of a “government-to-government program” of a licensed recruitment agency and collected an initial placement fee ranging from PHP100,000 to PHP150,000 to cover various training fees, medical examinations, and other expenses.
Applicants were also told to pay the remaining balance just before their deployment. Those who could not pay the fees were allegedly advised by Sebastian to apply for loans to be paid through salary deductions after their deployment.
The applicants became suspicious when Sebastian failed to deploy them after a considerable amount of time, prompting them to seek the assistance of the DMW.
Ople confirmed that the DMW is currently helping all 33 rescued illegal recruitment victims in documenting their complaints prior to the filing of cases against Sebastian. The suspect will be charged with large-scale illegal recruitment activities tantamount to economic sabotage, which is a non-bailable offense.
Sebastian was taken to the Department of Justice (DOJ) for inquest proceedings on Thursday, while follow-up operations are being conducted by the PNP’s Trafficking in Persons unit against Sebastian’s husband and two other accomplices.
