KOROR (Palau Horizon) — A Philippine national has been convicted of two counts of violation of immigration law by the Palau Supreme Court for illegally recruiting workers.
Teresita Jose is facing two years imprisonment.
The Attorney General’s Office, in a statement, said that the case was a result of an extensive investigation by the Division of Immigration.
Last year, criminal charges were filed against Jose and another Philippine national, Ramon Agana, for violations of immigration law.
Jose was charged for exchanging the return tickets for cash of about 50 workers recruited from the Philippines. Jose exchanged the return tickets knowing that the workers she recruited did not have permits to work in Palau.
In September last year, the authorities found that a number of Filipino workers in Melekeok had expired visitors visas.
Investigation revealed that the they had been working without permits for Asia Pacific Financial Investment and Development Co., which was operated by Jackson Ngiraingas. The workers told investigators that they had not been paid and had no work permits.
Ngiraingas last year pleaded guilty to four counts of unlawful employment of non-resident worker.
Ngiraingas in a plea agreement was ordered to pay a fine of $5,000.
He was also asked to post a bond for his foreign workers.
The bond should be sufficient to cover wages for three months and the return transportation costs of each worker prior to the issuance of the work permit.
Ngiraingas was also ordered to release any claim he may have to payments that may be owed to him or his company by the Compact Road projects subcontractors.
The funds will be given to the workers who worked for the subcontractors.
Agana’s trial will begin on June 13.
