ZAMBOANGA CITY — The personnel from the Women and Childrens' Protection Desk (WCPD) of the Zamboanga City Police Office (ZCPO) rescued two Lebanon-bound victims of illegal recruitment in this city, a top police official disclosed Tuesday.

Zamboanga City Police Office (ZCPO) director Senior Supt. Edwin de Ocampo said the victims, namely Juliejane Cabe, 21 and Iara Ann Joy Lucero, 21, were rescued around 5 p.m. Monday at the Zamboanga International Airport (ZIA).

Cabe and Lucero, both from Iloilo, told the WCPD chief Senior Insp. Gemma Luna that they were recruited by a certain Annaliza of Subway Agency in Manila to work as caregivers in Lebanon, De Ocampo said.

De Ocampo said the rescue of Cabe and Lucero came after the WCPD received an information that there are around 20 victims of illegal recruitment being hidden in a house owned by a certain Julie in Suterville, Barangay San Jose-Gusu, west of this city.

He said the WCPD backed by intelligence personnel received another information that Julie and her recruits are already at ZIA when they arrived in Suterville.

He said that it was not however immediately known whether Annaliza, who recruited Cabe and Lucero, and Julie are one and the same person.

Cabe and Lucero informed them that Annaliza confiscated their cellular phones when the alleged illegal recruiter noticed the presence of policemen in Suterville, he said.

De Ocampo said Cabe and Lucero were made to board on a motorized tricycle bound for ZIA by Annaliza and gave them their plane tickets.

The two rescued victims told the WCPD personnel that they were hired to work as caregivers in Lebanon but were surprised to pass by this city and have to travel to their destination via Malaysia.

De Ocampo said the WCPD and intelligence personnel are ordered to track down the other victims and arrest the alleged illegal recruiter. (PNA)

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