BUREAU of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado has ordered the relief of seven immigration officers allegedly linked to the illegal departure for Myanmar of Filipino workers who were victims of trafficking.
Viado said the relieved personnel, assigned at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminals 1 and 3, are under investigation following reports linking them to the illegal departure of trafficking victims who were repatriated on March 25.
“If found to have assisted the victims, said employees face cases before the Department of Justice,” Viado said.
The victims arrived in Manila on board a Philippine Airlines flight from Bangkok, Thailand after being rescued by the Philippine government from online scamming syndicates in Myanmar.
Viado admitted that even with stricter measures, it is difficult to identify trafficking victims at airports because many of these passengers come from affluent families and disguised themselves as regular tourists.
In 2024, the BI intercepted a total of 1,093 victims of human trafficking. Most of these people were referred to the Inter-agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) for investigation and filing of cases against their recruiters.
Viado also warned that trafficking syndicates continue to exploit backdoor routes in an attempt to evade stricter Immigration controls.
The BI reported the repatriation of the three trafficking victims from Cambodia who were allegedly forced to work in a scam hub. Investigations revealed they had no official record of departure, having been smuggled out via small boats from Jolo, Sulu, to Sabah, Malaysia.
The victims admitted that their passports were later stamped with fake Philippine departure marks before they travelled to Cambodia through Malaysia and Thailand.
“Traffickers are looking for ways to evade inspection. Whether it be a corrupt individual or areas that are vulnerable for illegal travel, these syndicates push to exploit every possible loophole to smuggle victims out undetected,” Viado added.