By Marita Moaje

ILLEGAL RECRUITER. Four suspects, including an alleged illegal recruiter and her Russian partner, were arrested in an entrapment operation in Pasay City Wednesday (March 25, 2026). The Department of Migrant Workers on Thursday (March 26, 2026) said the group is facing illegal recruitment charges following multiple complaints from victims lured with fake overseas job offers. (Photo grabbed from DMW Anti-Illegal Recruitment and Trafficking in Persons Program Facebook page)

MANILA – An entrapment operation led by the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) resulted in the arrest of a suspected illegal recruiter, her Russian fiancé and two bodyguards in Pasay City on Wednesday.

In a news release Thursday, the DMW said the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group–Anti-Transnational Crime Unit (PNP CIDG-ATCU), and the CIDG Anti-Organized Crime Unit arrested the suspect, identified as Celesti Maxilum, in a joint operation.

“Nag-ugat ang kanilang pag-aresto sa report ng isang biktima na aniya ay pinangakuan ni Maxilum ng trabaho bilang production worker sa bansang New Zealand at Japan sa loob ng tatlong taong kontrata kapalit umano ng sahod na halagang PHP100,000 (Their arrest stemmed from a report by a victim who claimed that Maxilum promised a production worker job in New Zealand and Japan under a three-year contract in exchange for a salary of PHP100,000),” the DMW said.

The DMW also said that Maxilum allegedly collected processing fees ranging from PHP30,000 to PHP72,500 from applicants in exchange for the supposed overseas employment.

Investigators noted that more than 10 additional complaints have been filed against the suspect for illegal recruitment activities.

The DMW said formal charges for illegal recruitment are being prepared against the arrested individuals. (PNA)