The Filipino managers-cum-owners of Alpha Assistenza SRL — tagged in an alleged recruitment scam victimizing their countrymen in Italy — had close ties with a ranking Philippine official assigned to the country.

The "victims" yesterday provided DAILY TRIBUNE not only copies of their complaints against Alpha Assistenza before Italian authorities but also the "smoking gun" showing the "closeness" between the firm's owners and the official.

The official was seen in a video with Alpha Assistenza co-CEOs Krizelle Respicio and Frederick Dutaro. Photos also showed the three together.

The complainants said Respicio had been bragging that the official has been a "tatay-tatayan" or father figure to her.

"We could not trust him," one of the complainants told this paper, claiming that the official had been "sitting" on their complaints against Respicio and Dutaro despite repeated follow-ups.

DAILY TRIBUNE had been seeking comments on the complaints from Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla and Department of Migrant Workers officer-in-charge Hans Leo Cacdac. They were yet to respond at press time.

Several people who said they lost money and time dealing with Alpha Assistenza sought the help of DAILY TRIBUNE's digital show Usapang OFW last Thursday, 22 September, to bring to light their harrowing experiences.

They said that over 400 Filipinos, based on information they are getting from their community in Italy, may have been victimized by Respicio, Dutaro, and Alpha Assistenza.

Fake permits

Some complainants claimed they had paid the agency large sums of money to facilitate their relatives' travel to Italy for work.

Others said they were cold-called by representatives of Alpha Assistenza for job placements in Italy that did not push through.

One complainant told TRIBUNE that the case she filed with the office of the Philippine official was not acted upon in her two months of constantly following up for updates.

"I went to the office to file my statement as advised. But I wasn't able to talk to our Philippine representative, but was instead directed to the secretary who took my statement," the complainant said.

"Then I was advised to wait for their call as my statement would be 'studied.' I made several follow-ups about it but got the same reply. It has been two months since I went there to make my statement," she said.

Many of those who paid Alpha Assistenza money said Italian authorities had rejected their visa applications because of the fake Nulla Osta or work permits allegedly provided by the firm.

Formal complaints were also filed against Respicio in 2017 for airline ticketing fraud, at least one of the "victims" told DAILY TRIBUNE.

"She sold e-tickets at huge discounts, but it turned out they were fake. Complaints were filed against her, prompting her to flee Italy and hide in France," one complainant said.

"It would be impossible for the Philippine government official not to have any knowledge of this, yet he still maintained ties with Respicio and Dutaro," the victims said.