A P5-million swindle victimizing nursing students in Bacolod City has prompted a tight watch on recruitment agencies there.
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) started looking into the swindle after the victims lodged a complaint against Global Placement Provider Services.
City Mayor Evelio Leonardia also created a task force to monitor the activities of recruitment firms in the city, Negros-based news site Visayan Daily Star reported Wednesday.
Leonardia tasked City Administrator Rogelio Balo to head the task force to make sure all recruitment agencies operating in the city are accredited with the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) and other concerned agencies.
For his part, NBI Negros chief Mamerto Cortes said possible cases that could be filed against the firm would include large-scale illegal recruitment and syndicated estafa.
Global had promised to provide the victims with student visas for the United Kingdom after it collected P100,000 per applicant.
The complainants said they were told they could study and work in the UK.
But a Global spokesman said their firm is operating legally, and they do not recruit people to work, and they only facilitate student visas.
Still, Cortez pointed out that Global's collection of fees from the complainants is questionable.
The NBI will verify the status of Global with the POEA since the complainants said it promised them work abroad, and also check with the British Embassy on the agency’s authority to process student visas.
A check with the POEA’s online list of recruitment agencies did not show any record matching Global’s details.
On the other hand, Leoanardia directed the city administrator to meet with the complainants' families and find out what assistance the city government can give.–Jerrie M. Abella/JV
