Filipino Nurses Fleeced out of their hard earned Salaries - UK Remittance companies fronts for Filipino crooks in Makati.

MANILA, Philippines — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Thursday warned overseas Filipinos to avoid sending their earnings through six transfer companies, citing complaints of undelivered remittances.

NBI officials issued the warning as they charged seven executives of one of the companies, Far East Express Remittance Philippines Inc., with “syndicated estafa" (fraud) before the Makati Prosecutors’ Office.

Head Agent Arnel Dalumpines, chief of the NBI Special Task Force (STF), said the company failed to deliver a total of P842,404 remitted by migrant workers based in the United Kingdom to their families in the Philippines just recently.

Charged were as Josephine Alayon, general manager and treasurer of Far East Express; Adan Ubando, chairman and president; Jerome Ubando, Lalaine Ubando, Edwin Ong, incorporators; lawyers Roberto Nio, corporate secretary; and Ma. Pilar Gutierrez, assistant secretary.

According to the charge sheet, the case stemmed from the complaints of Winnelea Agapay of District 2 in San Manuel, Isabela; Evansuida Valentin of 1148 Angeles, Pampanga; Carol Bendanillo of barangay Ligas in Bacoor, Cavite; Maria Reynon of barangay Zone 16 in Tala, Caloocan City; Norma Gimeno of 2242 P. Binay St. in Bangkal, Makati; Carlito Jaro of Ramylu Drive in Tangub, Bacolod City; and Marina Jardiel of 482 Mapalad Highway in Sta. Rosa, Nueva Ecija.

In a letter to the city prosecutor, NBI Director Nestor Mantaring minced no words in accusing the company of wrongdoing.

“Contrary to the purpose, Far East Express Remittance Philippines Inc., instead of helping our OFWs, victimizes our modern day heroes who endure everything just to earn money for their family and children," he wrote.

Special Investigator III Darwin Francisco said Filipinos based in the UK contacted the bureau after reading about the fraud charges filed by the Task Force last month against the same company for allegedly failing to deliver a Filipina nurse’s money to her family in the Philippines.

Francisco was referring to the complaint filed by Linie Namoca of Antipolo, Rizal, who told the NBI that her sister Lizle sent from London last April the amount of 3,800 sterling pounds (about P316,000) through London-based AJ Global Services Ltd. But it never reached her.

Francisco said that the new complainants claimed that between May and August, this year, they also sent through AJ Global Services Ltd. money ranging from P28,423 to P379,854 to their respective families in the Philippines.

The remittances were supposed to be deposited to the complainants’ respective savings accounts.

According to Francisco,.Far East Express Remittance Philippines is located at 9th floor, 9B Valero Tower Condominium, 112 Valero St., Salcedo Village in Makati.

Francisco said the bureau has expanded its probe to four other remittance firm, citing similar complaints.

The other remittance companies under investigation by the bureau are Phonecard Warehouse Limited, Smart Express Padala Limited, Swift Cash UK Limited, and Woodland Property Investment (Europe) Limited.

“There are reports that several remittance companies are victimizing Filipinos abroad by failing to remit their hard-earned money," said Francisco.

He warned overseas Filipinos not to send money though these companies at for the meantime so as not to avoid falling “victimize."

“We are advising all OFWs not to invest their money in these companies at the moment. Our information tells us that they are all being owned by the same group of people that we filed charges against last month," he said. - GMANews.TV