Recruiter
claims innocence, tags
minors' mothers in fake age ploy Pressed
to a dead end, a recruiter who failed to sneak three minors along with six other
recruits to Manila turned the blame on their mothers, who he said designed the
ploy.
The
recruiter, Dionisio Anzano, who came from the same hometown of the recruits claimed
the mothers of the minors made him believe they were already of legal age and
accepted the cash advance of P1,500 for each of them.
They
all came from the same town, Getafe, with the same story. The three minors were
from the island barangay of Nasingin.
As
they admitted it, the mothers said poverty forced them into the arrangement and
with the hard life in the island, they said they find it hard to return the amount
that they received from Anzano earlier as cash advances chargeable to their daughters
expected wages had plans pushed as designed. | | | Anzano
and nine recruits, that included the three minors- -two aged 16, and the other
17- - were about to board Cebu Pacific (Flight 5J 616) bound for Manila on June
17 when the Airport Aviation Group, led by Police Senior Inspector Donatilla Baya-Sotto,
intercepted them.
As
the police intervention started to delay the flight, Sotto said she cleared the
six other recruits of Anzano despite absence of documents such as birth certificates
and others that might lead to their identities. |
Anzano,
an agent of Bernardino's Employment Agency that holds office in Sampaloc, Metro
Manila, was only able to present his credentials, such as authority to recruit
issued by DOLE and Getafe police certification that he was authorized to hire
workers.
In
a joint inquiry on June 23 at the Capitol session conference room, the Provincial
Board Committee on Women/Family Affairs chaired by PB Member Aster Piollo, and
PB Committee on Peace and Order chaired by PB Member Ma. Fe Camacho-Lejos grilled
Anzano.
Anzano
told the PB probe team that upon learning that the three girls were underage,
he immediately sent them home, saying he does not want his trade to be perceived
as illegal.
He
said he had been in the trade since early 1970s without hitches, he said.
He admitted,
however, that there were lapses in some instances, like failing to get papers
from DOLE before proceeding to the hiring.
The
PB committees also found that the certification the Getafe police issued to Anzano
was released without the knowledge of the signatory.
SPO2
Celso Camacho Francisco, officer-in-charge of Gatafe police station, who said
he was not around when Anzano got the clearance denied having issued it, hinting
a forgery.
Lawyer
Gerry Guidaben of DOLE pointed out during the investigation that there's no need
for a recruiter to secure police certification to ply his trade.
He
said he only needs to present an authorization to the town mayor in coordination
with the municipal Public Employment Service Office (PESO).
Other
requisites prior to any recruitment, a recruiter has to present the following
an authority to recruit from DOLE, birth certificates of the recruit, contract
of employment among others, Guidaben said.
As
this developed, the two PB committees investigating the issue created an interim
task force and issued guidelines to tightly monitor movements of illegal recruitment.
The
task force, as proposed by Police Provincial Director Col. Eduardo Ingking, to
closely coordinate with the agencies concerned such as the PPA and the airport,
while it is securing a copy of the implementing rules and regulations of the RA
9208 or the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Law.
The
task force members include representatives of the Department of Justice, Bureau
of Immigration, PNP, National Bureau of Investigation, Department of Social Welfare
and Development of both national and LGU, DOLE, PPA, Civil Aviation Administration
and other agencies concerned.
The
investigating PB committees still have to come up with a recommendation or a plan
of action to take on Anzano's alleged violation of hiring minors. (RVO) | 
