Catch those vultures

The thought of bringing back hope to people on the verge of surrendering to their undeserved fate of being disadvantaged by people they had trusted provided the DAILY TRIBUNE the energy to carry the fight for the so-called Alpha 400.

Some 400 Filipinos allegedly duped by Italy-based immigration consultancy firm Alpha Assistenza SRL are now looking forward to help from Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla and Senator Risa Hontiveros in acquiring recompense.

Individuals hoping to work in the European nation are being taken for a ride by opportunists who have cultivated a strong network with Filipino diplomats who look the other way whenever complaints are raised against the recruitment agency that hides behind the classification of an employment consultant.

Hontiveros filed a Senate resolution last Wednesday to investigate the alleged recruitment scam, while Remulla said the Department of Justice would let the ax fall on the swindlers.

"Affidavits will be taken so they can properly complain and put together a case. Whatever it is, we will help them draw out the truth," Remulla vowed.

He assigned Chief State Counsel Dennis Chan to be on top of the case and to consolidate all the complaints, precluding the need for the complainants to hire lawyers.

The ruse was divulged on Daily Tribune's online program, Usapang OFW, which the newspaper then followed up on with a series of reports on the fraudulent schemes of Alpha Assistenza.

Hontiveros said in the Senate resolution that "it is alleged that Alpha Assistenza SRL provided over 400 Filipino 'victims' with falsified Nulla Osta, a document issued by Italian immigration authorities authorizing a non-European Union national to apply for a work visa at an Italian embassy or consulate."

"The falsified Nulla Osta resulted in the rejection of the victims' applications when the said documents were presented to the Italy Visa Application Center (VIA PIASI Center)," it added.

With a preponderance of the evidence, as lawyers would say, it is incredulous that the problem was allowed to fester by the representatives in the country's mission.

Diplomats are not assigned by their governments for socials but to protect their countrymen.

Consider the fact that it took the 400 victims to seek succor from DAILY TRIBUNE, which acted as the bridge to the government agencies, for somebody in government to start listening to their complaints.

Even if the emissaries in Italy are given the benefit of the doubt that they are not complicit with the scammers, it ill behooves them to sit on their asses while Filipino workers are being exploited.

Aside from the Department of Justice and the Senate probing the ordeals of those the government loves to hail as heroes of the economy because of the remittances they send each month, the Department of Foreign Affairs should also step in and probably revamp the country's delegation in Italy.

The problem also involves human trafficking, which will be a huge slap on the Philippines after revelations that fake work permits were issued to the migrants to Italy.

The US State Department recently hailed the Philippines for making good progress in the fight against the smuggling of people into other countries.

In an interview on Usapang OFW last week, Vanessa Antonio, Enrique Catilo, and Apple Cabasis, who were among the complainants, said Alpha Assistenza, headed by Filipino co-CEOs Krizelle Respicio and Frederick Dutaro, may have duped more than 400 Filipinos into paying for fake work permits.

They also accused Consul General Elmer Cato of ignoring their grievances.

A conspiracy to defraud Filipino workers to the point that they lose their dignity abroad is unforgivable.