The Department of Justice (DOJ)-Office of the Prosecutor of Tanauan City has recommended the indictment anew of London-based Italian entrepreneur and several others for illegal recruitment in large scale and estafa charges.
In a 10-page resolution, the DOJ granted the motion for reconsideration filed by complainants Maria Anne Castro and Brian De Chavez seeking to include Adel En Nouri and Mohammed En Nouri as respondents on the case.
The DOJ earlier recommended the filing of large scale illegal recruitment and two separate information for estafa against their co- respondents Lorraine Paula Saliva, Myrna Paterno, Cedrick Saliva and Greg Villegas Meer.
En Nouri and Mahommed were dropped as respondents in the case in view of the filing of a motion to withdraw by the complainants.
However, the respondents filed a motion for reconsideration on 11 March 2026 seeking to re-include the two as respondents.
The complainants claimed that at the time of the filing of their motion to withdraw the complaint, they lacked full understanding of its legal implications, and only realized its consequences after they had consulted a lawyer.
The DOJ, in an order issued last March, directed En Nouri and Mohammed to comment on the complainants’ motion for reconsideration but they failed to do so.
This prompted the DOJ to grant the complainants’ motion to reevaluate the evidence against the two respondents.
In recommending the filing of illegal recruitment in large scale and estafa charges against En Nouri and Mohammed, the DOJ held that the two conspired with the other respondents in luring the complainants into their illegal recruitment scheme.
Based on the complaint, the respondents represented themselves as the persons behind Tamber International Placement Agency, which according to the records of the Department of Migrant workers (DMW) is not licensed to recruit workers for overseas employment.
“Taken together, the respondents acts encompass recruitment activities which include, but not limited to, promising or advertising for employment abroad,” the resolution stated.
“In this case, respondent Adel En Nouri and Mohammed En Nouri’s participation is clear. They acted as the supposed employer which effectively lured the complainants into their scheme,” it added.
The resolution was signed by Prosecution Attorney Nico allen Brual and City Prosecutor Agnes Farida Bagaforo-Arellano II.
Likewise, the DOJ found basis to charge the respondents with estafa as the complainants were persuaded to pay the amount of P80,000 each or for the total of P160,000 through their false representation.
“Were it not for the deliberate misrepresentation of respondents to complainants, the latter would not have been induced to part with their money to respondents. Thus, the concerned respondents should be indicted for estafa…,” the resolution said.
It may be recalled that last March 4, the Regional Trial Court of Bacoor City issued an arrest warrant against Adel En Nouri and several others for qualified human trafficking under Section 4 (a) in relation to Section 6 (c) of Republic Act No. 9208 as amended by Republic Act No. 10364(The Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2021, which is a non-bailable offense.
A second arrest warrant was issued last April 10 by the Bacoor RTC against the Italian entrepreneur Nouri and several others in connection with the serious illegal detention and illegal recruitment in large scale charges also filed by the DOJ.
Serious illegal detention and illegal recruitment in large scale are also non-bailable criminal offenses.
The complainants have already asked the assistance of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in seeking the issuance of an Interpol red notice against En Nouri.
An Interpol red notice is a request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action.