The Department of Migrant Workers’ (DMW) deployment of a high-level fact-finding team to investigate illegal recruitment schemes targeting overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Italy signifies a robust response to safeguard the rights and interests of vulnerable individuals and combat illicit activities perpetrated by unscrupulous entities. The proactive measures undertaken by the DMW, in collaboration with relevant authorities, aim to ensure justice, accountability, and protection for affected OFWs and their families.
DMW Officer-in-Charge (DMW-OIC) Atty. Hans Leo J. Cacdac said the fact-finding team will conduct interviews and gather information from OFWs victimized by Golden Power SRLS, a registered business in Milan, Italy owned and staffed by Filipinos.
“The information gathered by the fact-finding team will bolster the case build-up against Golden Power for their illegal recruitment activities,” Cacdac explained.
Some 7 OFWs initially alerted the DMW to the operations of Golden Power SRLS, alleging they were promised work in Italy in exchange for paying placement fees ranging from €1,500 to as much as €4,000 Euros (P90,000 to P240,000 pesos).
The fact-finding team will also support an investigation being conducted by the Philippine Consulate General in Milan (PCG-Milan) on similar complaints raised against yet another Filipino-owned company in Milan, Alpha Assistenza.
The company charged processing fees ranging from €2,000 to €3,500 Euros (about P120,000 to P210,000 pesos) from their victims whose relatives in the Philippines were promised non-existent jobs in Italy. Philippine agents in Manila of Alpha Assistenza are being investigated for possible large-scale and syndicated illegal recruitment charges.
Initial reports on the modus operandi of the two illegal recruitment agencies show that they find their potential victims – OFWs based in Italy whom they offer non-existent jobs for their unemployed relatives in the Philippines. They would then convince the victims that they will help their unemployed relatives get work permits in Italy in exchange for expensive processing fees.
“We cannot allow these individuals and companies to get away with their nefarious activities. We urge other victims to come to us so we can help them document and file their cases,” Cacdac added.
To date, a total of 68 victims have been assisted by the DMW in filing complaints against the two illegal recruitment agencies, their owners, and representatives before the Department of Justice (DoJ).
Victims of Alpha Assistenza and Golden Power may connect with the DMW through the Facebook page of the Migrant Workers Protection Bureau (MWPB) at https://www.facebook.com/airbranch, via email at [email protected] and through hotline number +63 2 8721-0619.