A former migrant worker from the Philippines was arrested in San Jose City last Wednesday for allegedly offering fake jobs abroad in exchange for money.
Marivel Santiago, 39, who had worked in Saudi Arabia, allegedly scammed vendors, drivers and a seaman by asking them to pay placement fees and processing fees ranging from 22,000 to 27,000 pesos for non-existent jobs, Journal Online reported.
Santiago was arrested in San Jose City in Nueva Ecija on March 6 after a warrant was issued against her on large-scale illegal recruitment charges. At least 13 or 14 of Santiago’s victims went to the police station after learning of the arrest.
One of the victims, Marilou Casada, said she and the others were recruited by Santiago to work as fruit pickers and packers on a farm in New Zealand and were promised a salary of 80,000 to 100,000 pesos in exchange for a fee of 22,000 pesos.
Kimberly Pascual said she and her husband Edward, a seaman, also applied for jobs as hotel cleaners and factory workers in Canada. The couple paid Santiago 27,000 pesos each.
Santiago faces a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment and a fine of two million pesos.