POLICE arrested Wednesday a woman for holding the passport of an aspiring migrant worker in Malate, Manila.
Members of Manila Police District (MPD) General Assignment and Investigation Section (GAIS) conducted an entrapment operation against Leilani Geslaya, 47, a freelance recruitment agent, in a fast-food restaurant on Quirino Avenue corner San Andres, Malate, Manila at 1:30 p.m.
According to case investigator PO2 Dean Mark Regala, Geslaya was extorting money from complainant Rosemarie Rodil, 42, in exchange for the latter’s passport.
The passport had been in Geslaya’s possession since February last year when Rodil applied as domestic helper in the Middle East.
The complainant did not pursue her application after learning that she was classified as cleaner instead of domestic helper in her visa.
However, she said that she was told to pay R8,200 in order to retrieve her passport.
Rodil was unable to do so because of her limited budget.
But early this year, she contacted Geslaya again to give another shot on her dream to work abroad.
“Kinontak niya uli si Lani. Tinatanong kung pwede makuha ‘yung passport niya. ‘Yun nga po sabi kailangang tubusin. Sabi ng suspect nasa agency pa. Di kayang i-pull-out kasi kailangan ng authorization,” Regala said.
Rodil complied with the authorization, but Geslaya told her to pay about R7,000 first. This prompted her to ask police assistance.
Geslaya denied the allegation, adding that Rodil knew the agency’s policy that she had to pay if ever she would back out.
“Hindi ko naman fault yun. Wala na rin kasi ako dun kasi nagsara na ang Jedi Placement Agency nung Jan. 25, 2018,” she said.
Geslaya is now detained, facing charges of light coercion, illegal holding of passport, and attempted estafa. (Ria Fernandez)