5,000 job applicants duped by illegal recruiter

An illegal recruiter was arrested for allegedly duping not less than 5,000 persons into applying for jobs abroad.

Some of the applicants reportedly paid suspect Marichu Caitor-Variation P200,000 for her services.

Variation was identified as a manager of a company called HYWA, or I-Employ.

The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) 7 conducted an entrapment operation against suspect on the seventh floor of Luym Bldg., corner Osmeña Blvd. and Plaridel St. in Barangay Ermita, Cebu City yesterday.

Also arrested were two members of Variation’s staff, Jenelyn Martino and Janet Desales. CIDG 7 personnel caught Variation in the act of recruiting applicants.

She had been placed by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) 7 under surveillance prior to the operation.

Evelia Durato, chief of POEA 7, said Variation would transfer from one place to another to recruit applicants. One time she accepted job applicants in a beach resort in Talisay City.

Durato said there was one Sunday when there was so large a number of applicants that POEA 7 decided to check what was going on.

She said HYVA or I-Employ has no POEA license or authority to recruit overseas workers.