Fahrenheit denies human trafficking and illegal recruitment accusations

 

Fahrenheit Co. Ltd., a diversified company registered as a locator of the Subic Bay Freeport with shipping as an integral part of its business, has issued a statement denying involvement of its officials in “human trafficking, human smuggling or illegal recruitment.”

The allegations against the Fahrenheit officials came after the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) conducted a surprise raid and prevented the departure of the ship – M/V Forever Lucky, from the Port of Orion in Bataan bound for Micronesia.

Some “139 undocumented Filipinos” were found aboard the Fahrenheit-owned M/V Forever Lucky, in what news reports dubbed as “rescue” by the NBI and PCG operatives. (pls. see “139 victims of human trafficking rescued in Bataan”/Subic Bay News, Vol.11 no.23/www.subicbaynews.net)

“We are in the business of port operations and other related businesses for the past 20 years. We have been operating as a law-abiding and responsible business entity. We would not sacrifice our untarnished reputation just to be involved in illegal activities especially in something as grave as human smuggling,” said Isagani C. Cabrera, president of Fahrenheit Co. Ltd. “M/V Forever Lucky was not even scheduled to depart anywhere since at that night of July 3, there were some repairs being done in the ship, he added.”

On record, the case filed against Cabrera, together with four of Fahrenheit’s workers, namely Raul S. Mancelita, Jiracel N. Obdin, Mabel B. Marinez and Rachelle Joy M. Malvar was downgraded to “illegal recruitment” because, the statement said, there was no compelling reason or evidence to charge them for “human smuggling” or “human trafficking. The case filed was for alleged violations of R.A. 8042, otherwise known as the “Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995” as amended by R.A. 10022, which the Department of Justice (DOJ), in a decision handed last July 9, dismissed “for lack of probable cause.”

Though news reports printed in newspapers and uploaded online already branded the 139 Filipinos “rescued” as victims, the NBI only got nine complainants who are not even employees or workers directly involved with Fahrenheit Co. Ltd. The nine complainants are on-the-job (OJT) trainees from Sainte Trinite Academy who were just fulfilling their internship training.

“How could we be involved in illegal recruitment when we are not even actively recruiting people for work abroad? There is not a single time when we, or the company, has even asked for any form of payment or fees in exchange for overseas employment. So the unfortunate events which happened were a big surprise to us since for the past two decades, we have been operating our business smoothly and efficiently,” said Cabrera.

On July 5, two days after the surprise “raid” from the PCG and NBI, the nine complainants submitted their “Affidavit of Desistance”. The DOJ wrote in its decision: “A perusal of the respective affidavits of the complainants in this case shows not only a misapprehension of the facts which transpired previously but also shows manifest lack of intention on their (complainants) part to pursue the case.”

“Evidently, there is no intent from Fahrenheit Co. Ltd. to mislead the OJT trainees. In fact, it should be their OJT recruiter who should answer what promise/s were made to them,” said Atty. John Aquino, Legal Counsel of Fahrenheit Co. Ltd.

“We are law-abiding citizens. We are providing decent employment to our workers here in the port. It is unfair that these accusations were leveled against us but it is now the right time to set the record straight,” said Cabrera. “Truth is on our side.”

Earlier, SBMA Chair & Administrator Wilma T. Wisma issued a statement saying “It has come to our attention that Fahrenheit Company, Ltd… has been linked to alleged illegal activities, and vowed to “initiate measures as warranted” against Fahrenheit “should we find culpable violation.”