AUTHORITIES are investigating the links of the recruitment firm tapped by the Kuwaiti government to hire Filipino workers to the Islamic State terrorist group, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said Sunday.
He said they will investigate the involvement of Winston Q8 Certifications Solutions Inc. with the arrested couple from Kuwait and Syria who are said to be IS members.
The couple were arrested by Immigration agents on March 25 and presented to the public on Thursday.
Aguirre said the Kuwaiti government had confirmed that the two were active members of IS and had requested their deportation.
Winston Q8 is based in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig. The Health department recently ordered the closure of eight health clinics it accredited to exclusively issue medical clearances to Kuwait-bound Filipino workers.
This time, Winston Q8 is being investigated for the entry into the country of Husayn Al-Dhafiri and Rahaf Zina who arrived in the country on Jan. 28 from Qatar.
It was discovered, however, that Al-Dhafiri, a Kuwaiti national, had already arrived last year through a tourist visa before returning with Zina earlier this year after both secured a working visa.
“The investigation will continue to determine if there are other people involved or liable for the entry of these undesirable foreigners,” Aguirre said.
Aguirre said Al-Dhafiri was working for Winston Q8 based on information gathered by immigration authorities.
Last year, the House of Representatives investigated the firm over its alleged illegal recruitment operations.
Earlier this year, Winston Q8 figured in another controversy over the allegedly monopoly of its eight health clinics in providing medical services to all migrant workers bound for Kuwait in violation of the Migrant Workers’ Act.
The clinics have sought relief from the Court of Appeals and denied their alleged monopoly. They said they were listed by Winston Q8 because they had been confirmed by the company in compliance with the directive of the Kuwaiti Ministry of Health.
Aguirre said probers were also studying the possibility that there were IS members who were able to enter the Philippines apart from the couple.
“There is a possibility that they were able to link with local groups like the Maute or recruited members, so that is being investigated by our intelligence service,” he said.
He cited records showing that the couple had earlier flown to Cebu and Davao.