Bureau of Immigration (BI) agents at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) intercepted four women who were believed victims of a human trafficking syndicate bound for Lebanon to work as household service workers.
According to BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco, three of the victims were already cleared for departure when they were intercepted after attempting to board an Air Asia flight to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Separately, another female victim was intercepted and bound to Bangkok on the same day, after attempting to depart via a Cebu Pacific flight.
Tansingco further reported that the passengers initially disguised as tourists claiming that they will be touring abroad but later confessed that their final destination is Lebanon, where they were recruited to work.
“Sending people abroad without proper documents, let alone to countries with existing deployment bans, raises security threats for our OFWs even more,” Tansingco said.
The victims further told BI agents that they were recruited by one Helen who they met on Facebook and provided them travel documents.
They also disclosed that they were all allegedly instructed by their recruiter to queue for clearance at a specific immigration booth. The officer who cleared the victims has since been relieved of his duties, and is undergoing investigation.
“Corruption has no place in our agency. Immediate action against employees who are possibly conniving with these syndicates will serve as a big deterrent to others who might be thinking of following suit,” said Tansingco.