Tulfo seeks probe on Italy OFW job placement scam

Senator Raffy Tulfo on Thursday called for a Senate investigation into the reported multi-million-peso illegal recruitment of Filipinos seeking jobs in Italy.

Meanwhile, a party-list legislator called on concerned government agencies to file appropriate charges against the persons suspected of complicity in the scam.

Tulfo, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Migrant Workers, filed Senate Resolution (SR) No. 816 over reports that hundreds of prospective overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) were charged exorbitant placement and consultancy fees for non-existent jobs.

The immigration consultancy firm victimizing OFWs was identified as Alpha Assistenza SRL reportedly headed by Filipino Krizelle Respicio and Frederick Dutaro.

The victims were lured into believing that they land jobs in

Italy after paying Alpha Assistenza at least 2500 euros (P120, 000) while some of admitted to paying 5780 euros (P347, 140.00).

Tulfo said Alpha Assistenza SRL had no legal personality to process the work visa applications of Filipinos seeking jobs in Italy.

Tulfo noted that Alpha’s scheme involved the use of bogus work permits (nulla osta) which the OFWs only discovered as fake when these were presented at the visa processing center.Sixty eight complainants had already filed formal complaints against Alpha with the Department of Justice in Manila.

The Philippine embassy in Italy has alerted the Public Prosecutors Office in Rome, the SUI, the Questura and the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the alleged large-scale fraud.

Tulfo also cited the need to investigate the claims of some victims about supposed “non-action” by the Philippine consulate in Milan.

In filing SR No. 816, Tulfo stressed the need to “reviewing existing laws and policies on illegal recruitment and adopting other legislative measures to curb the proliferation of such vicious acts.”

KABAYAN Rep. Ron Salo urged the DMW to collaborate closely with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the Philippine Consulate General in Milan, and Italian authorities to carry on the task.

“Recent reports (not in the Standard) have highlighted a distressing situation where Filipino jobseekers were