One of the accused in the multi-million large-scale illegal recruitment and syndicated estafa now brewing is an aunt of Alpha Assistenza executive Krizelle Respicio, who was promised a job in Italy.

This was according to Atty. Kris Cancino, counsel of the more than 60 complainants in the said case who trooped to the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Friday to subscribe to their complaint affidavit.

Cancino said Arlene Hipolito, aunt of Respicio, was promised to be sent to Italy so she could earn money to use in treating her cancer.

"Arlene, who is an aunt of Respicio, shares the same predicament as Socorro Velasquez who was also promised a job in Italy but ended up being included in the charge sheet," said Cancino.

Apparently, Hipolito's participation in the said controversy was to meet with the applicants per the instructions of her niece (Respicio) and she did not recruit them since she was also an applicant.

"I pity Arlene because she is afflicted with cancer and due to the promise of being sent to Italy for a job she obliged to see the recruits thus she ended up being included in the charges," said Cancino.

Velasquez, like Hipolito, shared the same situation of receiving a promise that had been broken.

Hipolito, who was also absent during the preliminary investigation conducted by DOJ Assistant State Prosecutor Phillip Dela Cruz, submitted her counter-affidavit through a representative as she could not appear due to sickness.

Ten of the 52 complainants who appeared in the preliminary investigation all claimed that they met Hipolito through chat but she was not the one who convinced them to apply.

Due to the non-appearance of Respicio, despite receiving a subpoena, the prosecutor handling the case submitted the case for resolution.

Prosecutor Dela Cruz declared the case submitted due to the absence of Krizelle Respicio, one of the executives of the recruitment agency that allegedly duped at least 400 applicants for jobs in Italy.

In an interview after the preliminary investigation, Cancino said the prosecutor submitted the case for decision following the respondent's absence.

"Yes, the case is submitted for decision because Respicio did not appear. She was absent despite the fact that she received the subpoena sent by the DoJ," Cancino said.

Respicio faces charges of violating Republic Act No. 8042, as amended by RA 10022, for large-scale and syndicated illegal recruitment. Cancino said the determination of the case will take time because there are so many complainants, plus the voluminous documents that the prosecutor has to review.

"It depends on the prosecutor handling it since we have to consider the number of complainants and the voluminous documents," he added.

In November last year, the victims of alleged illegal recruitment by Italy-based Alpha Assistenza SRL filed their complaints before the Department of Justice.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla had vowed to ensure that justice would be served in the alleged scam that promised Filipinos in the Philippines non-existent jobs in Italy.