BALANGA CITY — Bishop Ruperto Santos of the Diocese of Balanga on Wednesday asked for a thorough investigation on the foiled human smuggling of 139 people to Micronesia.
The bishop also commended the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) for rescuing the victims.
“It is commendable that NBI and PCG have rescued 139 would-be victims of cruel and criminal acts of human smuggling. They have been saved from possible inhuman treatment, disgrace and even death,” Santos said.
He called on provincial and national authorities not to spare anyone. “Execute the letter of the law in prosecuting and punishing the guilty,” the Bataan prelate said.
The bishop asked authorities to dig deeper and investigate the recruiter and owner of the ship on how 139 people were able to board the vessel and ready to sail.
Santos is chair of the Episcopal Commission for Migrants and Itinerant People of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines.
The NBI and PCG at 1 a.m. of Tuesday raided Filipino-owned cruise ship Forever Lucky with 41 crew docked at the Port of Orion in Bataan.
Gerald Geralde, head of NBI special task force, said the victims coming from different provinces have no proper visa for Micronesia but only passports.
Some victims said they were promised work as massage attendants, housekeeping, food attendants, bar tending, tattoo artists, lechon maker, among some others, as soon as the boat docks in Micronesia.
“There were variety of talents to be brought to Micronesia but we found out that they have no proper visa and did not pass the POEA although they have passports. We have arrested some officers and staff of Fahrenheit Company Limited that also owns the ship,” said Geralde.
Litson Lito Hernandez, a litson maker from General Luna, Quezon, has with him nine workers all from Quezon province. He said they were contacted to make litson in Yap island, Micronesia.
“Maglilitson daw kami dahil ang Faherenheit ang magke-cater sa Olympics na gaganapin doon ng mga bansa sa Pacifi c Coast July 15 hanggang July 27, 2018.”
He said that they submitted their passport, police clearance and medical certificate “at sila na raw ang bahala.”
Hernandez disclosed that he was paid 70 percent down payment for 600 heads of pigs at P9,500 per litson, the remaining 30 percent “ay babayaran daw paguwi namin sakay din pabalik ng barko sa Pilipinas.”
A woman who is on the job training for a culinary school in Dasmarinas, Cavite said they were told that their sailing date for Micronesia was June 20, 2018. She said they were in the boat June 14 yet.
“Naglilinis kami sa barko. Ang pangakong trabaho sa amin pagdock ng barko sa Micronesia ay housekeeping o food attendant o bar tending,” she said.
Lt. Carlos Victor Carlos, PCG Bataan commander, said they held the boat for alleged lack of required documents.
He said they also discovered from the cabins people who were not supposed to be in the vessel.
Geralde said they will recommend the filing of cases for human trafficking and illegal recruitment against officials of Fahrenheit Company Ltd and the captain of the boat. Fahrenheit has an office at the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority.
