Legislators are pushing for a bill that would classify two or more persons engaged in illegal recruitment as a syndicate, punishable by life imprisonment.
Representatives Paolo Duterte, Eric Yap and Edvic Yap, authors of House Bill 8360, said the measure aims to deter individuals from exploiting overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) through predatory practices.
Republic Act 8042 defines illegal recruitment by a syndicate involving at least three persons, punishable as economic sabotage with life imprisonment and a fine of P500,000 to P1 million.
HB 8360 would lower the threshold to two individuals, ensuring that even small groups of illegal recruiters face harsher penalties.
“By amending RA 8042, we strengthen the law against these predators who, with as few as two conspirators, can commit massive illegal recruitment using technology and the internet,” said Duterte.
He cited recent cases uncovered by the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) as evidence of evolving illegal recruitment methods.
DMW shut down 11 Seas Immigration Services in Pasay City for charging excessive fees and illegally recruiting OFWs seeking work in Poland.
The Philippine Consulate in Milan also warned OFWs about the “decreto flussi recruitment” scam, involving an Alpha Assistenza consultancy firm that defrauded at least 200 Filipinos.
HB 8360 seeks to protect OFWs from such scams by holding even small illegal recruitment syndicates accountable.