Authorities have closed a chapel in Barangay Pinugay, Baras, Rizal after it was discovered to be operating as a front for illegal recruitment activities.
In a joint operation, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) arrested the church’s pastor, who was allegedly collecting up to ₱50,000 per person by promising them jobs overseas.
Victims, many of whom were church members, shared that they were told they could work as missionaries or farmers in Japan, earning between ₱70,000 and ₱100,000 monthly. However, they were sent abroad on tourist visas with no real jobs waiting for them.
“Syempre kapag missionary, di masyado bubusisiin ng immigration,” explained DMW Undersecretary Bernard Olalia in an ABS-CBN News report, noting that the ploy was to avoid strict immigration checks. Yet several recruits were eventually offloaded and questioned before departure.
NBI official Czar Eric Nuqui revealed that some victims had already left the country but found themselves stranded without the promised employment.
According to one of the victims, “Pagkatapos magsimba, nagbibigay siya ng orientation… nangako pagdating sa Japan, may trabaho doon.”
The DMW assured that livelihood assistance will be extended to those who fell prey to the illegal scheme.
