Authorities have closed down an alleged illegal recruitment agency in San Fernando, Pampanga after multiple complaints from job seekers who were promised high-paying jobs in Europe but ended up being barred from leaving the country.
The Sting Operation
Agents from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) planned an entrapment operation to catch the operators. However, when they arrived at the office, the agency’s operator was nowhere to be found!
Instead of a licensed recruitment firm, investigators found a small office disguised as a travel agency. The office was immediately shut down, locked, and marked with closure signs.
Victims Speak Out
Many hopeful Filipinos were lured in with promises of factory jobs in Bulgaria, offering monthly salaries of ₱90,000 to ₱100,000. But there was a catch—applicants were asked to pay up to ₱500,000 in placement fees!
Unfortunately, when these workers tried to leave the country, they were stopped at the airport because they didn’t have an Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC)—a legal document required for all Filipino workers going abroad.
Fake Permits and Missing Operators
Upon further investigation, authorities discovered:
The office displayed a mayor’s permit, but local officials denied issuing it. The agency did not have a DMW license, which means they were operating illegally. The owner has already relocated twice before setting up in Pampanga—possibly to avoid detection.
DMW Undersecretary Bernard P. Olalia confirmed that the agency had been under surveillance for some time. “We were about to conduct an entrapment, but the operator never showed up. Regardless, we have officially shut them down,” he said.
Crackdown on Illegal Recruiters
This marks the ninth illegal recruitment office shut down this year as part of the government’s ongoing fight against human trafficking. Many Filipinos have been trafficked to Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia under similar fake job offers.
DMW’s Reminder: Protect Yourself from Scams
The DMW urges job seekers to only apply through licensed agencies listed on their official website. Those interested in government-to-government hiring programs can apply directly through the DMW without paying any placement fees.
For a list of legitimate recruitment agencies, visit the official DMW website.
