Fahrenheit Co. Ltd. denies human trafficking, illegal recruitment accusations

Early this month, various news reports published an alarming headline: “139 Filipino workers rescued from human trafficking.” The reports said Fahrenheit Co. Ltd. (FCL)—a diversified company with shipping as an integral part of its business—is involved in “possible human smuggling and other illegal activities” and, through the intercession of the National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine Coast Guard, “Fahrenheit’s ship—MV Forever Lucky—was prevented to depart for Micronesia with about 139 undocumented Filipinos on board.”

FCL is categorically and strongly denying these false claims. In no way, or in any form whatsoever, is the company involved in human trafficking, human smuggling or illegal recruitment.

MV Forever Lucky was not even scheduled to depart anywhere since there were some repairs being done on the ship on July 3.

On record, the case filed against Isagani C. Cabrera, FCL president, together with four workers, was downgraded to “illegal recruitment,” because there was no compelling reason or evidence to charge them for “human smuggling” or “human trafficking.” In fact, the case filed against them was for alleged violations of Republic Act No. 8042, or the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995, as amended by RA 10022.

The Department of Justice, in a decision handed last July 9, has found “no probable cause to indict respondents of the crime charged against them. There is now a dearth of evidence with regard to the alleged acts of the respondents pertaining to the alleged illegal recruitment. This office has no recourse but to dismiss this case.”

FCL provides decent employment to our workers. It is unfair that these accusations were leveled against us, but truth is on our side.

JOHN V. AQUINO, legal counsel, Fahrenheit Co. Ltd.