Alpha scam victims gear up for legal battle

Justice will be served to the overseas Filipino workers victimized by Alpha Assistenza SRL, an Italy-based immigration consultancy firm, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Thursday.

In an interview on DAILY TRIBUNE's Usapang OFW, DFA Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Eduardo de Vega said the victims are preparing for their legal battle with Alpha Assistenza.

"As of now, they are voting because there are so many lawyers to choose from. The government will hire these lawyers to file cases against Alpha Assistenza," De Vega said.

Alpha Assistenza SRL, owned and managed by co-CEOs Krizelle Respicio and Frederick Dutaro, allegedly duped more than 400 Filipinos over non-existent jobs in Italy.

De Vega said the couple's alleged illegal operation was not limited to Filipinos dreaming of landing a job in Italy but extended to Filipinos in other European countries like Switzerland and France.

"The problem is that their offers were not only for Filipinos in Italy but also in Switzerland and France, they were duping Filipinos there," he said. "They promised them they would get their Italian legal papers, but nothing happened."

Last month, De Vega personally flew to Milan to meet with the OFW victims.

Apple Cabasis, one of the victims in Manila, said at least 20 of the victims had submitted their sworn statements to the Department of Justice. She said the other victims were preparing their affidavits.

Senators Risa Hontiveros and Raffy Tulfo had separately filed resolutions urging the Senate to investigate the alleged scamming of Filipinos in Italy.