Bishop arrested in Rizal for illegal recruitment disguised as missionary work

A religious leader identified as Bishop Reynaldo Basalio of the Faithful Promise Foundation Philippines Inc. has been arrested in Rizal for allegedly operating an illegal recruitment agency disguised as missionary work.

The arrest was conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation-Cavite District Office North (NBI-CAVIDO North) and the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) in Baras, Rizal on September 15.

The church compound where Basalio was apprehended was previously identified as a front for the group's illegal recruitment operations.

Basalio's wife, Pastora Esclarmonde Estrada Basalio, was previously arrested in April when authorities shut down the Faithful Promise Foundation for illegal recruitment.

The couple allegedly promised overseas jobs in Japan, Korea, and Papua New Guinea, with monthly salaries ranging from P36,000 to P120,000, for positions such as factory workers, construction laborers, clerks, accountants, engineers, and tea pickers.

Victims were reportedly issued tourist visas and instructed to pose as missionaries to bypass immigration officers.

Some individuals were offloaded at airports, while others who were deployed abroad discovered that the promised jobs did not exist.