MANILA — The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) will send a team to Milan, Italy next week to conduct a fact-finding mission on the reported illegal recruitment of Filipino workers.

• PH Consulate in Milan says 2 agencies, 5 people under probe in alleged recruitment scam

In a press conference Thursday at the office of the DMW in Mandaluyong City, Undersecretary Bernard Olalia said they conducted a meeting with the Department of Foreign Affairs to iron out the conduct of the investigation in Milan.

“Nakipagpulong na po kami sa DFA. In fact we have a Zoom meeting with Usec. De Vega ( Eduardo ) at tsaka si OIC Hans (Cacdac) and may agreements na kami. We will conduct a fact-finding mission. We will be sending a team. Isa pong Assistant Secretary namin together with our Migrant Workers Protection Bureau will be going to Italy,” Olalia said.

• PH Consulate in Milan working with Italian authorities on alleged recruitment scam

According to Olalia, aside from the the fact-finding mission, their team will also conduct a case build-up to address the illegal recruitment of OFWs and file necessary charges against those responsible.

Olalia said that based on initial information, most of the reported Filipino victims have relatives in Italy and were given a promise by illegal recruiters or an agency based in Milan that they will be given work permits which were eventually discovered to be false.

“Kumakalap na po kami ng mga ebidensiya at nakapag-interview na po tayo ng mga OFWs. Meron na po tayong mahigit 18 OFWs na tinulungan at nakikipag-unayan na rin po tayo sa ibang ahensiya,” Cacdac added.

Cacdac also had a meeting with the Justice Department regarding the issue.

“Ang DOJ ay may malaking papel na gagampanan. Ksama rin po ang NBI para makakuha kami ng case build-up at maigting na airtight case yung aming bubuin dahil may mga testimoniya po na kailangang kunin sa Italy at idudugtong natin doon sa mga testimoniya na nakalap natin dito sa Pilipinas for the filing of appropriate charges like illegal recruitment at pagtitibayin natin yung trafficking,” Olalia said.

Olalia said the DOJ has gathered more than 68 OFWs and they just need to establish the connections of their transactions in Italy.

Olalia once again reminded Filipinos planning to work abroad to go through the legal process of applying for a job.

“Palagi po nating paulit-ulit na sinasabi sa mga kababayan po natin na nagnanais na magtrabaho abraod that they should go to the usual and normal process of deployment,” he added.

He explained that even if relatives of Filipinos abroad are the ones recommending a job, it is better to go through the legal channels.

“Marami pong employment opportunities abroad, ang importante po rito, alamin po natin kung yung employer ay accredited at kung accredited man may valid job orders siya. At kung kayo po ay agency hire, dapat yung recruitement agency na magpapadala sa inyo ay lisensiyado at meron pong registered job order,” Olalia explained.

The Philippine Consulate in Milan in a statement previously said they first received reports of the alleged scheme from relatives and representatives of the victims.

Around 215 jobseekers from the Philippines were reportedly defrauded of as much as P180,000 each or a a total of P38.7 million.

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