Alleged recruiters of executed OFWs identified
By Marjorie Gorospe, loQal.ph
For Yahoo! Southeast Asia
MANILA CITY, METRO MANILA - The alleged recruiters of Ramon Credo and Sally Ordinario-Villanueva, two of the three Filipinos who were charged with drug trafficking and recently executed in China, have been identified.
Credo, Villanueva, and Elizabeth Batain were convicted of drug trafficking and executed by Chinese authorities on Wednesday despite appeals for clemency.
In a radio interview, Credo's aunt, Esperanza Pascua, named a certain "Prescy Evangelista" as the alleged recruiter of Credo. Pascua said Evangelista was a "friend" of Credo.
Pascua also said the family is appealing to authorities to arrest and charge Evangelista for involving her nephew in drug trafficking.
"Nagulat ako. Syempre hindi ko akalain na ganun yung recruiter. Ang sabi niya ang business niya garments. Paniwalang, paniwala kami," said Pascua in the radio interview.
Pascua said the family also received information that the alleged recruiter "is now in hiding but continues to recruit Filipinos as drug mules."
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in another report said the alleged recruiter of Sally Ordinario-Villanueva "is still at large" and could be lining up more Filipino drug mules.
Villanueva earlier made a sworn statement and tagged a certain "Mapet Cortez," who also uses the name "Tita Cacayan" as the recruiter who asked her to carry a drug-laden briefcase in China. Cacayan was allegedly an acquaintance of Villanueva.
The NBI said Cacayan is in Isabela province but "could be in hiding." The NBI has also filed charges against Cacayan.
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