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[av_heading heading=’CHILD LABOR RAP Factory workers’ recruiters charged ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=’30’ subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY MAE SINGUAY
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BACOLOD City – Thirteen of the 14 minors rescued from a fake cigarette factory in Barangay Bata were sent back to Lanao del Norte after filing a child labor charge against their recruiters yesterday at the City Prosecutor’s Office.
They were working as cigarette packers in the factory, a police report showed.
It was initially reported that all of the 14 minors were factory workers but Department of Social Services and Development head Pacit Tero said one of them was not.
“He was just visiting his father who works there,” explained Tero.
The minor went back to Lanao del Norte earlier than the 13, she added.
In addition, the Women and Children Protection Desk of the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) filed criminal and administrative charges against recruiter Jimmy “Andy” Chua and a John Doe.
On Aug. 25, the Police Station 3 and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, in collaboration with the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), raided the Alter Trade Building where 41 workers, including the minors, were caught.
On the same day, the police seized 48 boxes of cigarette filters in a separate operation in Barangay Taculing.
BCPO director Senior Superintendent Jack Wanky said the owner of the confiscated filters also owned the factory but they have yet to identify them. The minors didn’t know their “employer’s” identity either.
Boxes of Mighty cigarette imitations and sachets of marijuana were recovered from the factory. The BIR said the factory didn’t have a business permit./PN
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