The Bureau of Immigration (BI) Deputy spokesperson Melvin Mabulac shared through a Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon briefing that there have been three logged cases of illegal recruitment through fake marriage at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
On February 13, a Chinese individual was able to obtain a marriage certificate through an agency in China. Mabulac shared that the victim gave her certificate of no marriage, birth certificate, and ID, which were used to support the documents submitted to the agency. After the Chinese paid PHP40,000, a marriage certificate was sent to the victim which they used to depart the Philippines.
This incident urged the BI to raise the alert on this kind of scheme.
“Kaya pinapaalala po natin sa ating mga kababayan, if ever po kayo po nag-iinteres na magtrabaho sa ibang bansa, kayo po (ay) dumaan sa ating DMW (Department of Migrant Workers),” he added.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF ILLEGAL RECRUITMENT
Meanwhile, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration also stated on its website a list of common “modus operandi” of illegal recruiters, such as:
Escort Services – workers without documents are escorted by illegal recruiters at the airport or any international exit ports to avoid checkpoints that investigate document
Tourist–Worker Scheme – workers who leave the country as a tourist but are actually being deployed as an overseas worker
Assumed Identity – minors that are deployed abroad with a false identity
Direct Hiring – workers hired by foreign employers without going through licensed recruitment agencies and are deployed undocumented
Trainee Worker Scheme – workers hired for training purposes only and will return to sending company after training.
Backdoor Points Scheme – workers who are sent abroad that do not through regular exit ports (e.g., airport) and are mostly in cargo ships
Tie-Up System – blacklisted unlicensed recruiters with foreign principals who use the name of licensed recruiters
Visa Assistance/Consultancy Scheme – firms that offer workers immigrant visas and work abroad but are actually involved in recruitment business
Blind Ads Scheme – workers are asked to apply and send cash payments addressed to a Postal Office Box without any personal communications with recruiter
