3 minors, 7 others rescued from illegal recruiters

MARIVELES, Bataan: Police rescued three minors and seven others who were allegedly sweet-talked into working at a construction site in Balanga City but ended in Calauag, Quezon Province and reportedly forced to work without proper and just compensation, Mayor Jessie Concepcion of Mariveles announced Tuesday.

In a report to the mayor, P/Supt. Enrico Vargas, Mariveles police chief, identified the minors as one 16-year-old and two others both 17 years of age. The three were rescued with Marvin Mission, 19, Jennie del Rosario, 19, Jayson Lauzon, 20, Cris Papuran, 19, Rodolfo Espinosa, 19, Jeric Ramirez, 45 and Rico de Asis, 23.

The minors and the others are from Sitio Topside, Bartangay Sisiman, Mariveles town. A certain Nanme Ramirez alias Kaka allegedly recruited them to work for a construction site in Balanga City on January 21 with the promise of free board and lodging, free fare and a salary of P280 a day.

Victims said that they thought that they were going to Quezon City but were instead brought to a construction site in Calauag, Quezon. They told police that that they did not receive what the recruiter had promised them, adding that they ate coconut meat for sustenance.

Upon the complaints of their parents, Mariveles police, in coordination with the Calauag police station under P/Sr. Insp. Alejandro Tumbaga Framo and the local office of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, rescued the victims.
–Ernie B. Esconde, Manila Times