Vice President Manuel “Noli” De Castro has ordered the Task Force Against Illegal Recruitment (TFAIR) to hasten the prosecution of the most wanted illegal recruiter in the country for allegedly victimizing an estimated 700 overseas job applicants.

De Castro said Bridget Pedrosa Logarta goes by other aliases such Velerie Valero, Bridget Ortiz, Maria Cristy Hope and Gina Cruz.

The Vice President pointed out that she is presently facing various charges ranging from large scale estafa and illegal recruitment for allegedly collecting an estimated P24 million from at least 700 Filipinos including a former OFW who died in disappointment after paying a fortune for a non-existent job in London.

“We’re talking about a notorious illegal recruiter who has fled with more than P24 million which she took from her poor victims,” De Castro said.

De Castro noted that Logarta did not only ruin lives. She also caused the death of former OFW Reuben Cabling of Bacoor, Cavite who died of a heart attack while protesting with other victims in front of the office of Logarta in Bahay Toro, Quezon City just recently. The victims were able to take a video of the said incident.

It was learned that the P35,000 was for the language training course to be provided by Logarta to the victims who were promised various jobs in London such as office staff, waitress, and construction workers with salaries as much as P350,000 per month.

Aside from the big salary expected by the victims, Logarta also promised that she will give them P300,000 each as cash advance. But as the victims were about to claim their initial pay, Logarta suddenly disappeared.

The employees of Logarta at the Various Talent Unlimited (VTU) in Project 8, Quezon City are now in the custody of TFAIR after being turned over by the victims who barricaded around the VTU building last week.  Arrested were Richard Bayucot Pamisa of Camarin Caloocan City, Marju Jabines Bunda of Project 8 Quezon City, Lenelyn Gallego Sagmao of Barangay Manresa Quezon City, Analyn Gallogo Genova of Bagumbong Caloocan City, and Filomena Belida Alba of Bacoor Cavite.

De Castro vowed that the TFAIR will not let up in going after Logarta and at the same time ordered the TFAIR to pay for the docket fees to be incurred by the victims in filing their cases in court.

The move, he said, was necessary since many of the victims already ran out of cash in going after Logarta and can no longer afford to pay the said fees.

"I fully understand what the victims are going through so I already told the task force to help them finance expenses in filing the case," De Castro explained.

The Vice President also appealed to all who know the whereabouts of the illegal recruiter, or can give any information leading to the arrest of the suspect to report the matter to TFAIR with hotline number 414-2199.

De Castro said he wanted the case filed as soon as possible so that prosecution against Logarta can start right away. This will also facilitate the issuance of warrant of arrest and hold departure order against Logarta.