By Balitang America Staff
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Twenty-four Filipino workers in Mississippi are asking the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to help prosecute the Filipino labor recruitment agency that brought them to the U.S. In an exclusive interview with Balitang America, the Filipino workers’ immigration lawyer Elaine Carr said the DHS is now building a case of human trafficking against Z-Drive Agency, a recruitment company in Santa Rosa, Laguna.
The 24 complainants are now in the Witness Protection Program. One of them, who did not want to be named, told Balitang America that Z-Drive Agency misled them about the type of work they would do in the U.S. The worker also alleged that the recruiters refused to release their U.S. visas and passports for six months until they paid PhP 250,000 (about $5,000) in fees.
The worker told Balitang America that he and other workers were forced to accept any jobs they could take in the U.S. to pay off heavy debts they incurred to pay the recruiter. “Their families in the Philippines are now being harrassed by lenders,” Carr said.
Carr said her clients were promised work in Mississippi hotels, but were instead forced to work in farms and forests for about $4 an hour, below the state minimum wage.
As of this writing, ABS-CBN News still has not heard back from Z-Drive Recruitment Agency.
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guys if you cant find pictures of mr.julius b bana i have couple of pictures here email me and i’ll email you guys some pictures so you can post it naloko ako nito my life saviings i gave it all kse my documentation kame at my interviews pa ako tapos bigla nalang ako email ng sponsors from US hindi pinadala ni MR.BANA ang payment ko eto ngayon ako suffering for he’s PANLOLOKO walang walang pera and im a single dad got to work for my son he owes me 400,000 plus nangutang pa sa mom ko grabe at ngayon ehh nagtatago na siya.pls help
dapat sa mga ganyan na recruiter binibitay . kasi marami pang mabibiktima sila hanggat di nabibigyan ng punishment ang mga ganyan na tao. hayahn ninyo ang diyos ni natutulog balang araw babalik din sa kanila yon baka triple pa…. cguro makonsensiya naman sila. god bless u na lang dyan sa amerika
@ SHERLIE REYES; JUST OPEN THE LINK BELOW TO VIEW THE PICTURE OF JULIUS BANA. HOPE IT COULD HELP!
http://www.facebook.com/people/Julius-B-Bana/1142071799
ngayon ko lang napuntahan tong page na to. nabiktima ako ni julius bana last month i payed him full amount of P300,000 akala ko kse ligit sya help kse ang bungad nia bec. i have dreams of working sa US lahat ng napag ipunan ko sa singapore ehh binigay ko sa tao na to i trusted him with my hard earn money trying to do a living for my son bec. im a single dad wanting my son to have a better future pls help me glenndelgado@yahoo.com (02)2401065, 09172578133 yan po mga no. ko
Can you pls.. describe the appearance of Mr.JUlius Bana..Ryt now..I’m applyig for a wrk abroad and he’ll process my wrking visa..the money involved is quite big..pls help me out here…
To Sam and to Atty Ellaine Carr thank you very much pls. Keep us inform about case.We are struggle here to survive.
God bless you and God bless the Philippines and America
Many thanks for all the one who started this fight. TOTOO lahat ng allegation na ito laban sa Z-Drive. isa din ako sa mga maraming naloko ng z-drive! at ngayon ay nagdurusa dahil sa panloloko nila! Mga kasama( especially Batch 2009 ) Eto n ang panahon na iniintay natin. sa lahat ngnaloko nila magkaisa tayo para pagbayaran ng z drive na yan ang mga panloloko nila sa atin.. Dumating n ang karma nina Julius at Joe robert at buong z-drive. LET’S FIGHT FOR OUR RIGHTS!
To all Interested complainant,
Please email at help@ellainecarrlaw.com. Kindly provide your daytime phone no. Pwede pa kayong humabol at makasama sa lawsuit. Let’s see what we can do for you all.
Yung 250 thousand is payable on one year na inutang namen sa pjh ay naging 387003 pesos kasama na an interest na pinambayad namin sa zdrive as a placement fee kapalit trabaho dito sa USA.kaso Ito wala naman employer dito At walang permanent job
sa lahat ng naloko nila kasama na ako dito sa newyork sana magkita kita tayo para makapag complaint.. meron akong alam na pinoy na attorney na tutulong sa atin dito..mas madami mas ok daw para paniwalaan tayo.. may chance pa tayo magkaroon ng t visa habang nilalakad ung kaso then hindi na tayo banned sa US just in case gusto na nating umuwi sa pinas
To bebo paano po kmi makakasali sa campaign na Ito?biktima din kmi ng zdrive.salat sa mga Pilipino dito sa America na tumotulong sa case na Ito
Beth malabanan ang kapal ng mukha I deny lahat ng Ito!NASA perpetual binan ka pa naman nagtatrabaho as a librarian dapat malaman Ito ng management ng perpetual binan ang mga panloloko na ginawa mo sa kapwa mo.ma karma din kyo balang Araw tandaan nyo yan.ikaw naman Julius may pa born again ka pa nalalaman sino ba sinasamba mo ang AMA ng kasinungalingan dba si taning mga sinungaling kyo!tandaan mo ang dips ay Hindi liko sa kanyang pangako babalik sa inyo lahat ng mga kalokohan na ginawa nyo sa kapwa ninyo.
I’m calling all ZDrive Victims..Come out!..And be a part of this campaign to stop this kind of scheme..So that, there’s no more victims in the future..It is time for us to act&be a part of this actively..The Philippine Government should help&support us..
People should be really careful.. just because an agency is licensed by POEA, it doesn’t mean it is perfectly safe. It may be legitimate for now, but it does not guarantee that the agency will not do anything stupid. If you will read Malabanan’s statements, that’s all she has. She should be responsible because she gained from the deployment of these people. She would not have helped them if she will not get something in return, right? Even if it’s true that the Julius or someone else is truly responsible, she also had her part. Either she’s so stupid to do business with people she does not know well, or she’s too greedy to not care at all. I think it’s both.
Why Elizabeth Malabanan denying all the statement from the victims? If you have read both statement dated Aug. 2&yesterday respond from ZDrive, you could actually know that somehow Malabanan is trying to cleanse her name and reputation of her agency. The fact na pinayagan mo na gamitin ni Julius Bana ang iyong agency, your also liable sa kinahinatnan ng mga taong ito sa USA. Let us support this case to stop Human Trafficking!..Be responsible.
The Philippine Government should focus and investigate on this case!!! Kawawa ang mga biktima kase nangutang pa pala sila para makapunta sa States.
Of course!..(Beth Malabanan) you wouldn’t acknowledge nor accept the victim’s statement. Kase wala ng kaso kapag nagkataon yon. I remembered last February 2010 nakausap kita sa phone for about 30-45 minutes and you promised me that your going to help, support and rectify the issues/concerns brought to you but we haven’t received any assistance from you since we spoke over the phone but rather you haven’t answer my calls when I was calling you then. We have documents and evidences that could certainly prove you as liable as well with this case..We’re gonna stop you from hiring H2B applicants!!..So you wouldn’t have another victims just like US here trapped in a bad situation!!!..Makonsensya ka naman..
Isa ako sa mga biktima ng ZDrive Agency last April 2009, ganoon din halos ang nangyari samin grupong napaalis papuntang Colorado at wala rin kaming nakuhang suporta mula sa ZDrive sa kabila ng paulit ulit namin pagkontak sa kanila at paghinaing samin kalagayan. Ngayong natatakot ako sa mga maaaring mangyari kase nabigyan pa sila ng license hanggang 2014 makakabiktima na naman sila at makakaapekto at magdudulot ng hirap sa mga aplikanteng umaasang magbabago ang buhay nila…WAG KAYONG PALOLOKO SA ZDRIVE!!!!..NASA HULI ANG PAGSISISISI..sana’y hindi na lang ako umalis satin bansa, ngayong isa ako sa mga milyong milyong walang papel na legal na naninirahan sa New York.
wow! are you trying to tell that you are not even know everything that mr. julius bana’s doing in your company. HINDI BA IKAW PA ANG NAGSABING MAGBAYAD AKO NG Php 250,000.00 THAT TIME NA MAKAPASA KAMI SA EMBASSY FOR THE H2B VISA, AT KASAMA MO PA SI MR.JULIUS BANA NG IABOT KO ANG FULL PAYMENT SA PLACEMENT FEE, ano ibig nyo sabihin ngayon, naghuhugas ka na ba ng kamay ngayon?
are you trying to say beth malabanan na ou dont know what julius bana and mike lombardi???? that’s a big LIES!!!!! THE DAY BEFORE OUR FLIGHT GOING HERE TO U.S YOU GAVE AS A PHONE CALL AND YOU SAID THAT WHAT EVER DONE WRONG IS WALA KANG PAKIALAM SA AMIN. EVERYTIME NA NAGREREPORT KAMI SA ZDRIVE AY KAUSAP MO SI JULIUS BANA AT JOE ROBERT. SO PAANONG HINDI MO ALAM ANG GINAGAWA NILA SA AGENCY AT ANG MGA KASAMAHAN KO DITO AY GALING SA ZDRIVE STA.ROSA NA IKAW ANG NAGPADALA SA ZDRIVE MAKATI.ALAM MO BANG NAMUMULOT KAMI DITO SA AMERICA NG MGA GAMIT AT NANLILIMOS PARA LANG MAKA SURVIVE.HINDI HANAP BUHAY ANG IBINIGAY NYO SA AMIN KUNDI HANAP PATAY!!!! MAKONSENSYA NAMAN KAYO…..
[...] respond to allegations made by 24 Filipino workers in Mississippi that their recruiter engaged in human trafficking. In her e-mail, Malabanan vehemently denied the [...]
Human Trafficking is a serious case since then. The Philippine Government should do something about it as early as possible or else there would be a lot of people might be victimized of this scheme. Come on, this is the right time for the Philippine Government to help&support this case. Don’t just seat there&doing nothing!..It’s time to act now!. I hope the newly elected President NoyNoy should take a look on this case specifically&investigate cautiously. The recruiter should be completely liable as well as those person who’s involved on this scheme. Bangon Pilipinas!!!
OMG!! Recruiter doesn’t have a heart for dragging this people on this kind of situation. My advice to those aspiring H2B applicants, be vigilant enough to analys e&investigate the contract given by the recruiter. Check the petitioner carefully, call them if possible. We need to help the victims!.Stop Human Trafficking!
@Vivian: your right!.Kapwa Filipino niloloko at pinagkakakitaan ng mga ganid at sakim sa pera na mga recruiter. Bakit ganun sila? imbis na tulungan at baguhin ang buhay ng mga aplikanteng nagbabakasakali sa ibang bansa ng maayos at magandang kinabukasan para sa kanilang mga pamilya, inilugmok pa nila sa maling sitwasyon ng mga makasariling recruiter. We don’t know what’s happening to the victims right now? Kumakain pa ba sila sa mga oras na toh? May maayos ba silang tirahan? The recruiter should be prosecuted!.
The conversion of PHP to dollar is wrong its only $5,000+ pero kahit na malaki pa rin yonl hindi naman malaki ang bayad for processing working visas, I knew dahil I have a business here in Florida, pag hindi ka sharks or crocodiles na recruiter yong tama lang at gusto mo talagang makatulong sa kapuwa mo tao yon ang dapat mong gawin..kapwa Filipino niluluko natin, hindi tama yan..
The authorities should investigate the company instrumental in getting the visa of these people. Z Drive being a Philippines agency does not have the capacity to issue the applicants with the visa. The American partner who is responsible for issuing the applicants with the petition paper for the visa should be put to blamed. I was told that the US partner of Z Drive is known as USOPPORTUNITIES headed by certain MIKE LOMBARDI who is based in Palm Beach, Florida. He is supposed to be responsible for placement of these Filipinos in the USA. Therefore Z Drive does not have the placement capacity for this people. Whatever happened of these candidates when they get to the USA is under the sole responsibility of USOPPORTUNITY not of Z Drive.
I believe Z Drive is only recruiting in behalf of USOPPORTUNITIES given the fact that Z Drive is a POEA licensed agency. Z DRive will not sacrifice their licensed if Z Drive was being honestly informed by USOPPORTUNITIES about the job that these Filipino will do when they get to the USA
Further, the authorities should also investigate if these applicants are telling the truth. How come they agree to go to the USA if they did not sign any contract. If the contract was for real then they should not be surprised about the kind of job they will do when they got to the USA. If the contract was fake then the signatory of the contract should be prosecuted.
Thank you Sam
[...] 24 Filipinos Tell US Officials: Recruiter Victimized Them … [...]
mabuti na lang sa US nangyari ito, may human rights awareness, kung sa isang middle eastern country or asian country nangyari ito. kawawa na lang ang mga pilipinong ito. sa middle east, nakakulong na sila, kung babae naman, ni rape na siguro. watch Father Fernando Suares Homily on http://www.TheHealingEucharistinc.com dated August 1, 2010. he saw himself how the treatment of Filipinos in the middle east and other asian countries. ABS-CBN should publish or show this on TFC. and make it a wake up call on all Filipinos.
I believe PNOY should pay attention to this case, dapat tutukan nila ito dahil baka hindi lang iilan ang mga kababayan natin nabiktima… Baka marami pa tayong mga kababayan na hangang sa mga oras na ito ay pinahihirapan at inaabuso sa ibang bansa.
reply to John Doe: you may email atty. ellaine carr at: labor@ellainecarrlaw.com
Saab po ba pwede ma contact c attorney carr kc ISA din kmi sa maraming biktima ng z drive owned by Elizabeth malabanan and operated by Julius bana.dito kmi sa u s a kso wala nalang trabaho kumikita nga kme dito pambayad Lang sa lending namen at halos wala ng pampadala sa pamilya namen
salamat sa mga Pilipino dito sa america at sumoporta sa amen
OFWs sustain philippine economy….tapos ieexploit pa….mga illegal recruiters should be prosecuted!
Buti naman they are getting helped…hindi sila madedeport, kudos to Atty Carr. Can I get your number?
reply to pinoy Ako: Yeah, let’s support them in a way we can. kawawa naman sila. let’s also pray for them.
Php250,000.00 equal to $5,000.00. Baka nagkamali lang sa pag type.
Tulungan natin kapwa filipino! Yup mali conversion $5,000 lang ata yun.
Fight for your rights! Pinoy tayo! Laban tayo! Let us support of OFWs!
“The worker also alleged that the recruiters refused to release their U.S. visas and passports for six months until they paid PhP 250,000 (about $50,000) in fees.”
parang mali yata ang conversion nyo. PhP 250,000 is not equal to $50,000.