Two illegal recruiters with fake Swiss job offers nabbed

News Release
August 10, 2016

DOLE Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III ordered the immediate investigation of two
individuals arrested for illegal recruitment in an entrapment operation conducted last
8 August 2016.

In a report to Secretary Bello, POEA Administrator Hans Leo J. Cacdac said that the
PNP-CIDG Anti-Transnational Crime Unit (ATCU), conducted an entrapment
operation that yielded the arrests of Wilfredo Liwag David and Jemmalyn Mimis
Barlan, for illegal recruitment of twelve (12) victims who were lured with fake job
offers for Switzerland.

The non-existent job offers were for hotel and factory work involving a supposed
Swiss employer named KBR or Kelloggs Brown Root Company.

The victims were promised wages or salaries ranging from P60,000 to P70,000 and
that their applications will supposedly only take 45 days, with purported positions
having readily-available visas.

No placement fees were required, but the victims were required to pay medical
examination fees ranging from P3,500 to P6,000 to a specified medical clinic in
Ermita.

The victims reported the illegal recruitment activities to the POEA, which endorsed
the cases to the PNP for the conduct of the entrapment operation. The entrapment
operation occurred in Robinson's Manila, where David and Barlan were caught in the
act of illegal recruitment.

The arrested individuals will be brought to the Department of Justice for inquest
proceedings.

Secretary Bello directed the POEA to continuously monitor the progress of the case
and sustain the strong campaign against illegal recruitment.