BACLAYON – Police Operatives of Provincial Intelligence/Investigation Division of Camp Dagohoy have entrapped and arrested the suspects of alleged illegal recruitment in a house at barangay Sta. Cruz of this town, who are preying on victims being promised of a promising job in middleeast for so long now. But Sr. Labor employment officer Gerry Guidaben of the DOLE said that the agency believes otherwise. He said in an interview that it may be a “large-scale trafficking in persons.” It identified the suspects as one Sally Sablada, who is married to an Arab national by the name of Almahim, said Guidaben in an interview. Other suspects include Ma. Socorro Salvacion Sablada of Matina, Davo City, Serino Gonzaga, owner of the house where the raid has taken place, and secretary Nila Caballero. They are now locked up at Camp Dagohoy jail following the raid conducted by the raiding team led by P/Inps. Pelagio Rosagaran and P/Insp Mananquil accompanied by the DOLE.

Guidaben said that the presence of DOLE in the raid was “to determine the legitimacy of the raid.” The alleged racket, Guidaben said, have already preying on more than 30 victims. He said that the Sablada's group may have been in the illegal trade for quite sometime based on the number of recruits. The suspects are said to have raked in PhP3,500 from each applicant for medical certificates and their passports with a promise of good jobs in middleeast. The applicants were not issued an official receipts for the sum of money collected by the former, Guidaben said. Guidaben said that when confronted following the raid the suspects presented no legal documents supporting their recruitment trade. Complainants who stood pat against the suspects include Randy Requierme, Bernard Josol, Arnold Macarayo and others.

Police called for other victims to come out in the open and report to Camp Dagohoy to build up evidence in filing appropriate cases against the suspects. Guidaben said that it's about time to organize what he called Provincial Anti-Trafficking in Person Task Force, which Gov. Edgar Chatto is amenable. While saying that Dept. Of Labor and Employment is favorable to it, Guidaben added that such body has not yet been given attention in curbing, if not to prevent, trafficking in persons that resulted to flesh trade.