G.R. No. 181475 3 of 10 http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/jurisprudence/2009/april2009/181475.htm scheduled departure on January 25, 2000. On his scheduled departure, appellant did not show up at their meeting place in Malolos, Bulacan, hence, the around one hundred people who waited for him organized a search party to look for him in Zambales. Appellant was arrested on February 25, 2000 at the Balintawak tollgate. A verification [5] with the Department of Labor and Employment showed that appellant was not a licensed recruiter. Florentino Ondra: He was recruited by appellant for employment as laborer in Saipan, for which he gave P14,700 representing expenses for passporting, NBI clearance, and medical examination. Dionisio Aguilar: In September, 1999, he met appellant thru a friend whereupon he was interviewed, tested for a hotel job, and scheduled for medical examination. He gave P30,000 to appellant inside the latters car on November, 1999 after his medical examination. While he was twice scheduled for departure, it did not materialize. Ma. Leah Vivas: After meeting appellant thru Eddie Simbayan on October 19, 1999, she applied for a job as a domestic helper in Saipan, for which she paid appellant P10,000, but like the other complainants, she was never deployed. Simeon Cabigao: He was recruited by appellant in September, 1999 for employment as carpenter in Saipan with a guaranteed salary of $375 per month. For the promised employment, he paid appellant P3,000 for medical fee, and an additional P9,000, supposedly to bribe the examining physician because, per information of appellant, he (Cabigao) was found to have an ailment. He was scheduled for departure on February 23, 2000, but the same never took place. He was among those who looked for appellant in Zambales. [6] dated Private complainant Cabigao later recanted this testimony, per his affidavit March 3, 2003. Testifying anew, this time for the defense, he averred that the one who actually recruited him and his co-complainants and received their money was Danilo Gimeno (Gimeno), and that they only agreed among themselves to file a case against 1/26/2016 3:54 PM