Philippines: American Arrested for recruiting ‘guards’ for Iraq

The Philippines has banned the deployment of Filipino workers to Iraq- even though thousands still are in the country- new recruitment in the Philippines is banned by law.

A American citizen of Philippine origin was arrested by government agents for illegally recruiting over 100 AWOL (absent without leave) members of the Philippine Armed forces - and retired military personnel for the 'shotgun' escort duty.

( NOTE:engaging in the recruitment of labor for overseas employment on a large scale is a crime here without proper registration.)

Statement on the POEA website at: http://www.poea.gov.ph/

POEA not sending civilian fighters to

Iraq, Afghanistan
The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) does not process documents of Filipinos hired as “civilian fighting force” for deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan.
The July 2004 ban on deployment of Filipino workers to Iraq has not been lifted and the reported deployment of security forces to Iraq and Afghanistan did not pass the documentation system of the government.
The government allowed the recruitment of Filipino workers for Iraq in the latter part of 2003 but only for deployment to campsites which were found safe from attacks from Iraqi rebels and terrorists. Most of the deployed workers were assigned to do construction, maintenance, housekeeping, and catering jobs inside American camps.
The deployment of Filipinos to Afghanistan was also allowed but was limited to professionals working in projects controlled by the United Nations (UN). POEA processed the contracts of these workers only after endorsement and clearance from the Department of Foreign Affairs.

It pretty much an open and shut case- most likely seen to end in either a large fine or a sentence or both- that's up to the courts.

Full story below:

www.Inq7.net 05:41pm NBI nabs Fil-Am sending retired, AWOL soldiers to Iraq

There are thousands of legal Philippine citizen employees of various global security firms who follow proper laws and regulations - which are in place to protect these workers.Who after-all do put their lives on the line for the various projects built in harms way all over the world.
This is not a anti-iraq or anti-war on terror action - as I'm sure some right wing bloggers might see it - but a simple case of not properly setting up and getting the legal permits.

But- while the Philippine government has travel restrictions to Iraq for Filipinos in the wake of kidnappings there. thousands do work there and carry out the jobs they do with the full knowledge of them being on their own in that country.

There are no restrictions for Afghanistan or other parts of the middle east though.

Looking for information on overseas employment?

For the complete list of recruitment and manning agencies that send Filipino workers abroad:
http://poea.gov.ph/cgi-bin/agSearch.asp

For tips on how to avoid illegal recruitment:
http://www.poea.gov.ph/html/how%20to_ir.html

For the revised rules and regulations on overseas employment of land-based workers:
http://poea.gov.ph/docs/POEA%20Rules.pdf

For the labor code of the Philippines discussing the provisions on overseas employment:
http://poea.gov.ph/html/labcode.html

For the migrant workers and overseas Filipino act of 1995:
http://poea.gov.ph/html/ra8042.html