The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and the PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) have collaborated to apprehend an alleged illegal recruiter who deceitfully offered non-existent job opportunities in Canada. The person in question, identified as Edmel Jane Dumrique Movida, falsely claimed to provide farm jobs in Canada in exchange for processing fees, despite lacking the necessary authorization from the DMW.
Director Geraldine Mendez of DMW’s Migrant Workers Protection Bureau (MWPB) revealed that Movida's arrest came after four applicants filed complaints against her. The victims were enticed with job offers as farmworkers in Canada with a lucrative hourly wage of CAD 34. To proceed with the application, they were coerced into paying processing fees ranging from PHP 120,000 to PHP 160,000.
Each victim had already given Movida PHP 70,000 to kickstart the document processing, coupled with promises of expedited deployment through a supposed acquaintance within the Bureau of Immigration (BI). Subsequently, the victims were asked for an additional PHP 50,000 for visa processing. Alarmed by the demands, the applicants sought verification from the DMW and discovered that Movida was not authorized to facilitate overseas employment.
In light of these events, the DMW encourages other potential victims to come forward and report any similar experiences. Complaints can be lodged through email at [email protected], directly on the DMW Facebook page, or via the hotline number +63 2 8721-0619. These measures aim to thwart illegal recruitment practices and safeguard prospective migrant workers from falling prey to such schemes.
