Two Taguig residents were arrested in Pasig City for alleged illegal recruitment and estafa after authorities said they collected placement and processing fees from applicants seeking work in Armenia.
The suspects, identified only as “Andeng” and “Angel,” were arrested at around 6:50 p.m. on June 24 inside a fast-food chain along Concepcion Avenue in Barangay San Joaquin, Pasig City.
According to a report to Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Director PMGen. Robert Morico II, the suspects were allegedly caught receiving placement fees from complainants despite having no license or authority from the Department of Migrant Workers to recruit or deploy overseas workers.
Authorities said the suspects allegedly recruited the complainants in April 2026 for supposed restaurant staff jobs in Armenia, with a promised pay of 14 euros per day and a 200-euro food allowance. They allegedly assured the applicants that their deployment could be processed within two months.
The complainants later paid a total of P183,930 for supposed plane tickets and processing fees. Plane tickets were issued to them, but investigators later found that the tickets were allegedly fake.
Police said the suspects later demanded additional processing fees of P31,740 from each complainant for their supposed immediate deployment, prompting the victims to seek assistance from the CIDG Anti-Transnational Crime Unit.
Verification with the Department of Migrant Workers showed that the suspects were not licensed or authorized to recruit or deploy overseas migrant workers.
The suspects face complaints for alleged violation of Republic Act 8042, or the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995, as amended by Republic Act 10022, and Article 315 of the Revised Penal Code, or estafa.
Authorities advised aspiring overseas Filipino workers to verify job offers and recruitment agency licenses directly with the Department of Migrant Workers before making any payment.