DILG Intensify the Campaign against Illegal Recruitment and Human Trafficking amidst execution of 3 Filipino

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A March 30, 2011 press release by the Department of the Interior and Local Government
To intensify the campaign against illegal recruitment and human trafficking, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse M. Robredo on Wednesday called on all local chief executives to strictly inspect and monitor the operations of licensed recruitment agencies in their respective localities.
“Kailangan ng suporta ng mga local government units sa malawakang kampanya ng pamahalaan laban sa illegal recruitment dahil marami pa rin sa ating mga kaawa-awang kababayan ang nabibiktima ng mga tusong illegal recruiters,” said Robredo.
Robredo made the call after the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) and the Anti-Illegal Recruitment Task Force met recently to discuss and jointly address illegal recruitment and trafficking issues in the country.
In his directive to provincial governors, city and municipal mayors and the Regional Governor of ARMM, he urged them to immediately revoke the business permit of agencies found to be engaged in illegal recruitment and human trafficking and effect the filing of appropriate charges against them.
The Secretary Robredo also warned local execs who fail to decisively act on illegal recruitment and human trafficking concerns in their respective localities of disciplinary actions for gross negligence or dereliction of duty.
At the same time, Robredo, who is also the concurrent chairperson of the National Police Commission (Napolcom), also directed the Philippine National Police chief, Director General Raul Bacalzo to monitor and help address said problems and cause the filing of charges against illegal recruiters and human traffickers.
“I expect the submission of periodic reports on your accomplishments regarding the anti-illegal recruitment and trafficking campaigns to the Napolcom,” he said.
Just last week, Zamboanga authorities have foiled a large-scale attempt to traffic 82 women who were mostly from Visayas and Mindanao to Malaysia.
Initial investigation showed that a highly organized syndicated group could be behind the attempt to smuggle out the women who bore no travel documents to work abroad as domestic helpers or prostitutes.
Records show that the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency handled 1,610 cases of illegal recruitment in 2009 filed by 469 complainants in 2009.
Seventy-four persons were arrested and six establishments closed during the period.

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