DFA, DMW to aid Filipino victims of illegal recruitment in Italy

The Philippine government will help Filipino victims of alleged fraud and illegal recruitment in Italy file lawsuits, a Department of Foreign Affairs official said. 

In a statement, DFA Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Eduardo Jose de Vega said he met with victims at the Philippine Consulate General in Milan last Friday.

According to Consul General Elmer Cato, 33 victims lost as much as P39 million to two agencies based in Milan that promised them jobs in Italy.

De Vega said both the DFA and the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) will provide lawyers to assist the victims.

At the meeting, De Vega said that it may take some time before the cases to be filed in Milan and Manila can be resolved, but that the consulate will keep working on the issue.

Cato also said that the consulate has been interviewing complainants and witnesses and gathering supporting documents and other evidence. The consulate has also issued advisories and discussed the issue in online town halls, he said.

The consulate has also been investigating other individuals and agencies in Milan that may have defrauded Filipinos in transactions involving work permit conversions, airline tickets, and citizenship applications.

“Although these are private transactions, the Consulate had to take a more active role in order to protect kababayan who may end up as victims if we do not step in,” Cato said. — Sherylin Untalan/BM, GMA Integrated News