16 sacadas rescued, illegal recruiter nabbed

A suspected illegal recruiter in Aklan was arrested for recruiting 16 migratory sugarcane workers or sacadas on November 21.  

Police said 39-year old Richard Democrito, a resident of Linabuan Sur, Banga, Aklan, recruited and transported the victims on board a Ceres passenger bus to Iloilo province without the necessary papers from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). 

The workers from the towns of Banga, New Washington and Kalibo were enticed to work in sugarcane haciendas in Passi, Calinog and Janiuay in Iloilo. The ages of the rescued workers ranged from 20 to 50 years old. 

Prior to the arrest, a DOLE representative and Roger Zaradulla of RJZ Recruitment Agency coordinated with the Banga police station on alleged case of misrepresentation and unauthorized recruitment operation of Democrito. 

When confronted, Democrito denied he masterminded the recruitment of rescued sacadas after the entrapment operation at around 11:50 a.m. along the national highway of Venturanza, Banga, Aklan. 

The 16 workers recruited were released by the police while the suspected illegal recruiter is temporarily detained at Banga police station lock-up cell. 

Zaradulla said majority of the rescued sacadas had cash advance with the legitimate RJZ recruitment agency. 

"They are using my name to recruit sacadas. These recruiters should follow the law in recruitment, para patas ang laban, dahil kami kumpleto ang papeles," said Zaradulla, who has been in sacada business for 29 years.

According to Zaradulla, the illegal recruiter promised the rescued workers to initially pay them P2,000, but, Democrito gave them P300 only. 

Aklan has been considered as ‘sending’ province or place of origin of the sacadas.  Sacada or seasonal cane cutter working in a sugarcane plantation are usually hired as temporary migrant workers during the peak harvest and milling season, from October/November to April or May. 

The workers normally received ‘anticipo’ or cash advance to pay off debts and support their families. They are employed to do harvesting only or harvesting in combination with sugarcane peeling and hauling since there were limited job opportunities and livelihoods to earn income in their communities. 

Illegal recruitment, under the law, is defined as any act of canvassing, enlisting, contracting, transporting, utilizing, hiring or procuring workers for employment when undertaken by non-licensee or non-holder of authority.

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL