Senators intend to investigate the Alpha Assistenza SRL "scam" in January next year amid criminal complaints filed against company executives Krizelle Respicio and Frederick Dutaro in Italy and the Philippines.

This Daily Tribune's digital show Usapang OFW revealed in its Tuesday episode, citing unimpeachable sources who said lawmakers would now tackle the Alpha case as their work passing the 2024 budget is already through.

Consul General to Milan Elmer Cato, according to Tribune sources, is now engaged in a public relations campaign to "deodorize" his image before the hearings start.

Cato found himself at the center of the Alpha brouhaha after the "victims" of Alpha Assistenza told Usapang OFW that the consular official sat on their complaints, thus forcing them to seek Tribune's help.

The official was also touted to be close to Respicio, something seemingly bolstered by their having photographs and videos together.

The consulate would later issue a statement denouncing Tribune even as the paper only ventilated the complaints that the couple Respicio and Dutaro took from each of them 2,500 euros in exchange for a chance to land a job in Italy.

The Italian Embassy in Manila would declare Alpha's activities as "predatory" as it stopped processing visas coursed through Alpha Assistenza using a bogus nulla osta or work permit number.

Usapang OFW hosts yesterday belied Cato's 26 September claim in a post on the consulate's social media page that the paper or the show did not reach out to him to get his side.

The show hosts said they have SMS and phone call records that would disprove Cato's claim.

The National Bureau of Investigation has aided Alpha victims in filing complaints before the Department of Justice.

Italian lawyer Bruno de Blasi had also filed a parallel complaint for aggravated fraud against Respicio and Dutaro before the Office of the Public Prosecutor of Milan.