Illegal recruiters are now on the priority list of incoming President Rodrigo Duterte in his campaign to eliminate criminality.
Incoming Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre Bello III bared they are planning to place bounties on erring recruiters to motivate citizens to report their illegal activities to authorities.
“One of the first thing I will do (once I assumed my post) is to announce we will be handing rewards to organizations or individuals, who will be able to give us information on illegal recruiters,” Bello said.
“This (illegal recruitment) has to stop and its perpetrators jailed,” he added.
Bello disclosed that he has talked to overseas employment agencies and have agreed to contribute to the reward money.
Outgoing Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda D. Baldoz had urged Duterte to go after illegal recruiters and consider new measures to eliminate them.
Despite government efforts, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration said it still receives an average of 400 to 500 illegal recruitment cases each year.
Duterte had offered rewards for individuals who will be able to kill drug lords or arrest illegal drug peddlers to show that the government is serious in solving the rampant drug trade in the country.
During the campaign, the tough-talking official said eliminating drug trafficking and improving peace and order in the country will be the top issues he will address once he wins the presidency. (SAMUEL P. MEDENILLA)