The leader of a religious foundation accused of running an illegal recruitment racket has been arrested in Rizal, months after authorities shut down his group.
The National Bureau of Investigation–Cavite District Office North (NBI-CAVIDO North), in coordination with the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), confirmed that Bishop Reynaldo Basalio Y Gaddao was taken into custody on September 15, 2025. He was apprehended near the Faithful Promise Foundation Philippines Inc. church in Baras, Rizal, the same venue previously exposed as a front for illegal recruitment.
Basalio and his wife, Pastora Esclarmonde Estrada Basalio, allegedly enticed Filipinos with job offers in Japan, Korea, and Papua New Guinea, promising salaries between ₱36,000 and ₱120,000. Authorities said the couple had no license to deploy workers abroad and used missionary work as a cover, instructing recruits to apply for tourist visas and pose as missionaries at Immigration checkpoints.
Victims reported being charged ₱50,000 each for “processing fees” disguised as community contributions. Some were deployed, others offloaded, while several are still waiting for promised opportunities.
Basalio now faces charges of large-scale illegal recruitment, a non-bailable offense under Republic Act 8042, also known as the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act, as amended by RA 10022.
The DMW reiterated its warning against unlicensed recruiters, urging job seekers to verify agencies through its official website, dmw.gov.ph.
