Alpha ‘runner’ seeks time to rebut raps
The camp of Ma. Socorro Velasquez yesterday asked Makati City prosecutors for an extension to file her counter-affidavit to the illegal recruitment charge filed against her over the Alpha Assistenza SRL "scam." Velaquez was a "runner" or liaison officer of Alpha Assistenza who had joined the "victims" of the company in bringing the matter before the Department of Justice, Department of Migrant Workers and the National Bureau of Investigation.
She found herself the subject of a complaint by some of the people who lost money and the very officials of Alpha Assistenza, Krizelle Respicio and Frederick Dutaro, who claimed the scam was all her doing.
Velasquez, however, has maintained that she had remitted to Respicio all the money — at least 2,500 euros for each of the complainants — charged to the applicants by Alpha Assistenza as fees for securing work visas for them.
Over two dozen complainants first brought the matter before DAILY TRIBUNE's digital show Usapang OFW, alleging that the Philippine Consulate in Milan had sat on their complaints against Alpha Assistenza.
The NBI has been taking the alleged victims' statements even as a similar move to make Alpha Assistenza accountable in Italy has been initiated.
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The case filed against Velasquez was seen by those involved as an attempt to deflect attention away from Alpha Assistenza owners Respicio and Dutaro.
The alleged victims had filed their complaints against Respicio and Dutaro before the DoJ, the DMW, and the NBI, with Velasquez expressing her intention to serve as a witness against the couple.
Atty. Renz Ayungao, counsel of Velasquez, said they were prompted to ask for more time to file their counter-affidavit because his client received the subpoena to appear before prosecutors belatedly.
"We just asked the prosecutor to give us time to file our counter-affidavit, and it is up to him when we could file it," Ayungao said.
Velasquez, likewise, refused to be interviewed and merely agreed with what her lawyer told this reporter.
The camp of the complainants did not oppose the motion for an extension to file the counter-affidavit.
