The investigation by the Office of the Public Prosecutor in Italy is scheduled to begin soon, meaning justice for the roughly 300 victims of the Milan-based immigration consultancy firm Alpha Assistenza SRL.

According to the Philippine Consulate General in Milan, the investigation into the aggravated fraud cases filed against Alpha Assistenza SRL co-CEOs Krizelle Respicio and Frederick Dutaro may “start anytime soon.”  

“The Consulate, through its lawyer Bruno De Blasi, conveyed to the Office of the Public Prosecutor today that it could proceed with its formal investigation with the filing of 92 out of 102 complaints against the owners of Alpha Assistenza SRL,” the Philippine Consulate General in Milan said in a statement on Tuesday.    

“The remaining 10 will be lodged as soon as concerned complainants submit the necessary supporting documents,” it added.

The investigation, which the Consulate was told could take at least six months, also comes more than a month after Attorney De Blasi filed the first 11 complaints against Respicio and Dutaro.

To recall, victims of the Alpha Assistenza SRL took their complaints to the DAILY TRIBUNE’s “Usapang OFW” in September last year about the slow progress of their case.

Most of the victims, also working in Italy, claimed that they paid exorbitant fees for their relatives in the Philippines to secure what later turned out to be non-existent jobs under Italy’s “decreto flussi” program.

This developed as the lawyer of the victims who filed charges against executives of Alpha Assistenza SRL will move to consolidate the cases to expedite its resolution.

Lawyer Kris Cancino bared this yesterday as she accompanied one of those impleaded in the case, Socorro Velasquez, to the Department of Justice.

“Since the allegations are the same, we will move for a consolidation to expedite the resolution of the case. It is one of the many cases filed against Krizelle Respicio,” Cansino said.

Respicio is one of the executives of the Alpha Assistenza SRL recruitment agency that allegedly duped at least 400 applicants for non-existent jobs in Italy.

Cancino said Velasquez was impleaded as one of the respondents after she was used by Respicio as a front for her activities to the Piazi (Italian embassy.

She said they were filing the counter affidavit before DoJ Prosecutor Normandale Manalo to explain that Velasquez was one of the victims that Respicio used as a scapegoat in the fraudulent scheme to illegally recruit job seekers for  Italy.

“We will explain the circumstances and let us see what will happen to the four complainants who filed a separate complaint before the DoJ,” said Cancino of the DivinaLaw firm.

No-show respondent

Respicio was a no-show again at the DoJ preliminary hearing on 5 January.

The complaint filed by the four other victims is a separate one, according to Cancino, although they will move to consolidate it.

To recall, Assistant Prosecutor Phillip dela Cruz recommended on 5 January that the charges against Respicio be submitted for resolution after she failed to attend the preliminary hearing despite having received a subpoena.