ILLEGAL RECRUITMENT

Essential elements of illegal recruitment “Recruitment and placement" refers to any act of  (C-E-CT-U-H) (a)  canvassing, (b)   e...

Essential elements of illegal recruitment
“Recruitment and placement" refers to any act of  (C-E-CT-U-H)
(a)  canvassing,
(b)   enlisting,
(c)   contracting,
(d)   transporting,
(e)  utilizing, or
(f)   hiring procuring workers,
And also includes
(a)  referrals,
(b)   contract services,
(c)   promising, or
(d)   advertising for employment, locally or abroad, whether for profit or not

Provided,  That  any  person  or entity  which, in any  manner, offers  or promises  for  a  fee  employment  to  two  or  more persons  shall  be deemed engaged  in  recruitment  and placement. [Labor Code, Art. 13 (b)]
(a) Any  of  the  acts  mentioned  above  constitutes recruitment and placement.
(b) The proviso provides for a presumption that a person or entity  so described  engages  in  recruitment  and placement [See People v. Panis, G.R. Nos. L-58674-77, July 11, 1990].

What constitutes recruitment
The  number  of  persons  dealt  with  is  not  an  essential ingredient  of  the act  of  recruitment  and  placement  of workers.  Any  of  the  acts  mentioned in  Article  13(b)  will constitute  recruitment  and  placement  even  if  only one prospective  worker  is  involved.  The  proviso  merely  lays down  a  rule of  evidence  that  where  a  fee  is  collected  in consideration of a promise or offer of employment to two or  more  prospective  workers,  the  individual  or entity dealing with them shall be presumed to be engaged in the act of recruitment and placement. [People v. Panis, G.R. Nos. L-58674-77, July 11, 1990]

Acts of referral
The act of referral, which is included in recruitment, is "the act  of  passing along  or  forwarding  of  an  applicant  for employment  after  an  initial interview  of  a  selected applicant  for  employment  to  a  selected  employer, placement  officer  or  bureau."  Petitioner’s  admission  that she  brought private  complainants  to  the  agency  whose owner  she  knows  and  her acceptance  of  fees  including those for processing betrays her guilt.  [Rodolfo vs. People, G.R. No. 146964, 2006]

Promising employment
The  Court  finds  that  accused-appellant  was  engaged  in unlawful recruitment  and  placement  activities.   The prosecution  established  that accused-appellant  promised three complainants employment as factory workers and he asked them for money in order to process their papers and procure  their  passports.  Relying  completely  upon  such representations, complainants  entrusted  hard-earned money  to  accused-appellant  in exchange  for  what  they would  later  discover  to  be  a  vain  hope  of obtaining employment  abroad.   It  is  not  disputed  that  accused appellant is not  authorized  nor  licensed  by  the  DOLE  to engage  in  recruitment  and placement  activities. The absence of the necessary license or authority renders all of accused-appellant’s recruitment activities criminal. [People vs. Saulo, G.R. No. 125903. November 15, 2000]

Note:  To determine which law applies, the place of work is the determining factor:
(1) If in the Philippines: Labor Code (LC) applies
(2) If abroad: Migrant Worker’s Act [R.A. 8042, as amended by R.A. 10022].

Illegal recruitment for local workers  [governed by the labor code]
Simple Illegal Recruitment
Elements:
(1) The  person  charged  with  the  crime  must  have undertaken  recruitment  activities  defined  under  Art. 13(b) or prohibited activities defined under Art. 34; and 
(2) The said person does not have a license or authority to do so. [Art. 38, LC]

Profit or lack thereof is immaterial 
In 1996, LCL had no approved POEA license to recruit. C.F. Sharp’s accreditation  as  LCL’s  new  manning  agency  was still  pending  approval  at that  time.  Yet  it  entertained applicants  for  LCL’s  vessels,  and  conducted preparatory interviews.  Based  on  Art.  13  (b),  this  is  a  recruitment activity.  The  fact  that  C.F.  Sharp  did  not  receive  any payment during the interviews is of no moment.  The act of recruitment  may  be  "for  profit  or not."  Notably,  it  is  the lack  of  the  necessary  license  or  authority,  not the  fact  ofpayment  that  renders  the  recruitment  activity  of  LCL unlawful. [C.F. Sharp vs. Espanol,G.R. No. 155903]

Accused  must  give  the  impression  of  ability  to  send complainant abroad
It  is  well-settled  that  to  prove  illegal  recruitment,  it  must be  shown that appellant  gave  complainants  the  distinct impression  that  she  had  the power  or  ability  to  send complainants  abroad  for  work  such  that  the latter  were convinced  to  part  with  their  money  in  order  to  be employed. [People v. Ochoa, G.R. No. 173792, 2011]


Prohibited practices
It  shall  be  unlawful  for  any  individual,  entity,  licensee,  or holder of authority:
(a) To  charge  or  accept,  directly  or  indirectly,  any  amount greater than that specified in the schedule of allowable fees prescribed by the Secretary of Labor, or to make a worker  pay  any  amount  greater  than  that  actually received by him as a loan or advance; 

(b) To furnish or publish any false notice or information or document in relation to recruitment or employment; 

(c) To  give  any  false  notice,  testimony,  information  or document  or commit  any  act  of  misrepresentation  for the  purpose  of  securing  a license  or  authority  under this Code. 

(d) To  induce  or  attempt  to  induce  a  worker  already employed to quit his employment in order to offer him to  another  unless  the  transfer  is designed to liberate the  worker  from  oppressive  terms  and  conditions  of employment; 

(e) To  influence  or  to  attempt  to  influence  any  person  or entity  not  to employ  any  worker  who  has  not  applied for employment through his agency; 

(f) To engage in the recruitment or placement of workers in  jobs  harmful  to  public  health  or  morality  or  to  the dignity of the Republic of the Philippines

(g) To  obstruct  or  attempt  to  obstruct  inspection  by  the Secretary  of  Labor  or  by  his  duly  authorized representatives; 

(h) To  fail  to  file  reports  on  the  status  of  employment, placement vacancies,  remittance  of  foreign  exchange earnings,  separation  from jobs, departures  and  such other matters or information as may be required by the Secretary of Labor. 

(i) To substitute or alter employment contracts approved and verified by the Department of Labor from the  time of  actual  signing  thereof  by  the  parties up  to  and including the periods of expiration of the same without the approval of the Secretary of Labor; 

(j) To  become  an  officer  or  member  of  the  Board  of  any corporation engaged in travel agency or to be engaged directly  or  indirectly  in  the management  of  a  travel agency; and 

(k) To  withhold  or  deny  travel  documents  from  applicant workers  before departure  for  monetary  or  financial considerations  other  than  those authorized  under  this Code and its implementing rules and regulations.  [Art. 34, LC]


Illegal  recruitment  for  migrant  workers  [governed  by  RA 8042, as amended by, RA 10022]
Simple Illegal Recruitment
1st type.—
(1) Person charged undertakes any recruitment activity as defined in Art.13 (b) of the Labor Code; and
(2) Said person does not have a license or authority to do so.

2nd type.—
(1) Person  charged  commits  any  of  the  enumerated  acts under Sec. 6 of R.A. 8042, as amended by, R.A. 10022. 
(2) It  is  immaterial  whether  he  is  a  holder  or  not  of  any license or authority

Definition
Illegal  recruitment  shall  mean  any  act  of  canvassing, enlisting, contracting,  transporting,  utilizing,  hiring,  or procuring workers and includes referring, contract services, promising or advertising for employment abroad, whether for profit or not, when undertaken by non-licensee or nonholder  of authority  contemplated  under  Article  13(f)  of Presidential Decree No. 442, as amended, otherwise known as  the  Labor  Code  of  the  Philippines: Provided,  That  any such  non-licensee  or  non-holder  who,  in  any  manner, offers or promises for a fee employment abroad to two or more  persons  shall be  deemed  so  engaged.  [Sec.  6,  RA 8042 as amended]

Other prohibited acts
It  shall  likewise  include  the  following  acts,  whether committed  by  any person,  whether  a  non-licensee,  nonholder, licensee or holder of authority:
(a) To  charge  or  accept  directly  or  indirectly  any  amount greater than that specified in the schedule of allowable fees  prescribed  by  the  Secretary of  Labor  and Employment, or to make a worker pay or acknowledge any amount greater than that actually received by him as a loan or advance;

(b) To furnish or publish any false notice or information or document in relation to recruitment or employment;

(c) To  give  any  false  notice,  testimony,  information  or document  or commit  any  act  of  misrepresentation  for the purpose of securing a license or authority under the Labor  Code,  or  for  the  purpose  of  documenting hired workers  with  the  POEA,  which  include  the  act  of reprocessing workers through a job order that pertains to  nonexistent  work,  work different  from  the  actual overseas  work,  or  work  with  a  different employer whether registered or not with the POEA;

(d) To  include  or  attempt  to  induce  a  worker  already employed to quit his employment in order to offer him another  unless  the  transfer  is  designed to liberate  a worker  from  oppressive  terms  and  conditions  of employment;

(e) To  influence  or  attempt  to  influence  any  person  or entity  not  to employ  any  worker  who  has  not  applied for  employment  through  his agency  or  who  has formed,  joined  or  supported,  or  has  contacted  or  is supported by any union or workers' organization;

(f) To engage in the recruitment or placement of workers in  jobs  harmful  to public  health  or  morality  or  to  the dignity of the Republic of the Philippines;

(g) To fail to submit reports on the status of employment, placement vacancies,  remittance  of  foreign  exchange earnings,  separation  from  jobs, departures  and  such other matters or information as may be required by the Secretary of Labor and Employment;

(h) To  substitute  or  alter  to  the  prejudice  of  the  worker, employment contracts  approved  and  verified  by  the Department  of  Labor  and Employment  from  the  time of  actual  signing  thereof  by  the  parties  up to and including  the  period  of  the  expiration  of  the  same without  the approval  of  the  Department  of  Labor  and Employment;

(i) For  an  officer  or  agent  of  a  recruitment  or  placement agency to become an officer or member of the Board of any  corporation  engaged  in travel  agency  or  to  be engaged  directly  or  indirectly  in  the  management of travel agency;

(j) To  withhold  or  deny  travel  documents  from  applicant workers  before departure  for  monetary  or  financial considerations,  or  for  any  other reasons,  other  than those  authorized  under  the  Labor  Code  and  its implementing rules and regulations; 

(k) Failure  to  actually  deploy  a  contracted  worker  without valid reason as determined by the Department of Labor and Employment;

(l) Failure to reimburse expenses incurred by the worker in connection with his documentation and processing for purposes  of  deployment,  in  cases  where the deployment  does  not  actually  take  place  without  the worker's fault. Illegal recruitment when committed by a syndicate  or  in  large  scale  shall be considered  an offense involving economic sabotage; and

(m) To  allow  a  non-Filipino  citizen  to  head  or  manage  a licensed recruitment/manning agency.In addition to the acts enumerated above, it shall also be  unlawful  for  any  person  or  entity  to  commit  the 
following prohibited acts:

(1) Grant  a  loan  to  an  overseas  Filipino  worker  with interest  exceeding eight  percent  (8%)  per  annum, which will be used for payment of legal and allowable placement  fees  and  make  the  migrant  worker  issue, either personally  or  through  a  guarantor  or accommodation  party,  postdated checks  in  relation  to the said loan;

(2) Impose  a  compulsory  and  exclusive  arrangement whereby an overseas Filipino worker is required to avail of a loan only from specifically designated institutions, entities or persons;

(3) Refuse to condone or renegotiate a loan incurred by an overseas  Filipino worker  after  the  latter's  employment contract has been prematurely terminated through no fault of his or her own;

(4) Impose  a  compulsory  and  exclusive  arrangement whereby  an overseas Filipino  worker  is  required  to undergo  health  examinations  only  from specifically designated  medical  clinics,  institutions,  entities  or persons, except in the case of a seafarer whose medical examination  cost  is shouldered  by  the principal/shipowner;

(5) Impose  a  compulsory  and  exclusive  arrangement whereby  an overseas Filipino  worker  is  required  to undergo  training,  seminar,  instruction  or schooling  of any kind only from specifically designated institutions, entities or persons,  except  for  recommendatory trainings  mandated  by principals/shipowners  where the latter shoulder the cost of such trainings;

(6) For  a  suspended  recruitment/manning  agency  to engage in any kind of recruitment activity including the processing of pending workers' applications; and

(7) For  a  recruitment/manning  agency  or  a  foreign principal/employer  to pass  on  the  overseas  Filipino worker or deduct from his or her salary the payment of the cost of insurance fees, premium or other insurance related charges,  as  provided  under  the  compulsory worker's  insurance  coverage. [Sec.  6,  RA  8042  as amended]

Migrant Workers Act expands the definition of illegal recruitment

The  amendments  to  the  Labor  Code  introduced  by Republic  Act  No. 8042,  otherwise  known  as  the  Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995, broadened the concept  of  illegal  recruitment  and  provided  stiffer penalties,  especially  for  those  that  constitute  economic sabotage. [People v. Ocden, G.R. No. 173198, 2011]



This is in accordance with the penultimate paragraph of Section 6 Republic Act No. 8042 which provides, thus: “Illegal recruitment is deemed committed by a syndicate if carried out by a group of three (3) or more persons conspiring or confederating with one another. It is deemed committed in large scale if committed against three (3) or more persons individually or as a group.” xxx The respective testimonies of private complainants clearly established that appellant promised them employment in Italy and that she asked money from them for the processing of their papers. Relying upon appellant’s representations, complainants parted with their money. That appellant recruited them without the requisite license from the POEA makes her liable for illegal recruitment. (PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES v. ANITA "KENNETH" TRINIDAD, G.R. No. 181244, 9 August 2010)

Three or more complainants must be in a single case

When  the  Labor  Code  speaks  of  illegal  recruitment "committed  against three  (3)  or more persons individually or  as  a  group,"  it  must  be understood  as  referring  to  the number  of  complainants  in  each  case  who are complainants  therein,  otherwise,  prosecutions  for  single crimes  of illegal  recruitment  can  be  cummulated  to  make out a case of large scale illegal recruitment. In  other  words,  a  conviction  for  large  scale  illegal recruitment  must  be  based  on  a  finding  in  each  case  of illegal recruitment  of  three  or  more  persons  whether individually or as a group. [People vs. Reyes, G.R. No. 105204, 1995]

It is the lack of the necessary license or authority to recruit and deploy workers, either locally or overseas, that renders the recruitment activity unlawful or criminal. The Statute of Frauds and the rules of evidence do not require the presentation of receipts in order to prove the existence of recruitment agreement and the procurement of fees in illegal recruitment cases. The amounts may consequently be proved by the testimony of witnesses.( PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES v. EDITH RAMOS ABAT, G.R. No. 168651, 16 March 2011)


To prove illegal recruitment, it must be shown that the accused, without being duly authorized by law, gave complainants the distinct impression that he had the power or ability to send them abroad for work, such that the latter were convinced to part with their money in order to be employed. It is important that there must at least be a promise or offer of an employment from the person posing as a recruiter, whether locally or abroad. (PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES v. TERESITA “TESSIE” LAOGO, G.R. No. 176264, 10 January 2011)



Under Section 64 of the Omnibus Rules and Regulations Implementing the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995 (RA 8024), the liability of the principal/employer and the recruitment placement agency on any and all claims under this Rule shall be joint and solidary. If the recruitment/placement agency is a juridical being, the corporate officers and directors and partners as the case may be, shall themselves be jointly and solidarily liable with the corporation or partnership for the aforesaid claims and damages. Hence, Petra Agency/Royal Dream International Services/Consolacion "Marla" Nahas were held jointly and severally ordered to pay complainant Olarte her unpaid salaries. (MA. CONSOLACION M. NAHAS, doing business under the name and style PERSONNEL EMPLOYMENT AND TECHNICAL RECRUITMENT AGENCY vs. JUANITA L. OLARTE, G.R. No. 169247, June 2, 2014, J. Del Castillo)

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