TUCP asks DoLE to revoke license of recruitment agency responsible for the deployment of 120 OFWs to Iraq

The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) today called on the labor department to hold accountable a local OFW recruitment agency for the illegal deployment 120 Filipino workers in Iraq.

The TUCP said that recruitment agency did not only violate the Government imposed ban on the deployment of contract workers in the warn-torn country but has put the lives of 120 Filipinos in grave danger.

Reports indicate that the 120 OFWs were deployed secretly to Iraq by the Prime Project International, an American firm. The workers were recruited by the local firm Anglo-European Placement International and were flown to Dubai before they were sent to Iraq. The local firm denied knowledge of the deployment and passed the blame on the American firm

The TUCP said that while the 120 workers may have freely chosen to go to Iraq those who have made it possible for them to sneak into the country and violate the government ban should be made to answer for the potential problems it may create in the long term”, TUCP said.

TUCP also did not buy the excuse of the local firm. TUCP said, “It will not take a rocket scientist to see through the lie. It is stupid to believe that the local recruiter did not know that the workers will be eventually deployed to Iraq.

“Anglo-European Placement International can not wash its hands over the deployment. It is unconscionable that they sent the poor workers in Iraq despite reports of the growing violence in the country”, TUCP said.

TUCP called on the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE ) and the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) to revoke the license of recruitment agency and make it face the necessary charges”, TUCP said.

The Government should exercise a firm stand on the issue to prevent other recruitment agencies from going around the ban, TUCP added.