THE Department of Justice has signed a
memorandum of agreement with the Philippine Overseas Employment
Administration, Philippine National Police and the National
Bureau of Investigation to create a task force that will
implement an intensified campaign against illegal recruitment
nationwide.
The DOJ’s National Prosecution Service will
serve as the lead agency in prosecuting illegal recruitment and
other related cases referred to it by the POEA.
Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez, who said the
task force is necessary because illegal recruitment "remains a
serious and persistent problem," said the DOJ-NPS in the
country.
Gonzalez said that the DOJ-NPS will also
extend assistance to OFWs with employment problems.
The POEA will coordinate the activities of
the Task Force on Illegal Recruitment, receive and investigate
complaints and reports on illegal recruitment activities and
provide operational funds to the members of the task force in
the conduct of the special operations like surveillance, service
of warrant of arrest or seizure and entrapment.
The NBI will provide operational assistance
to the POEA in the investigation of complaints and cause the
arrest of suspected illegal recruiters.
Gonzalez said the Bureau of Immigration may
also be tapped to join the task force considering the many
people who are caught at the airport on their way to jobs abroad
using fake passports, visas and other documents.
The creation of the task force is in line
with Executive Order No. 548-A mandating the POEA to intensify
its anti-illegal recruitment campaign, especially at the local
level, in coordination with local government units,
non-governmental organizations and other concerned agencies.
It is also in line with the implementing
rules of Republic Act No. 8042, or the Migrant Workers and
Overseas Filipino Act of 1995, which mandates the POEA to work
for the eradication of illegal recruitment activities. –
Evangeline C. de Vera
