BI arrests alleged human trafficker at Naia

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has arrested an alleged human trafficker at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) trying to fly out of the country with three victims.

BI Port Operations Division Chief Grifton Medina said on Sunday that the suspect and the victims attempted to board an Eva Air flight to Malta.

The four were intercepted by the bureau’s Travel Control and Enforcement Unit (TCEU) after the immigration officer doubted the purpose of their travel last Tuesday.

According to BI Naia Terminal 1 TCEU Head Glenn Ford Comia, the victims, whose names were withheld, claimed that they were on a business trip and that they are employees of a recruitment agency.

However when interviewed, the victims admitted that they were not employees of an agency, Comia said.

They also pointed out that their companion recruited them to work as household workers in Malta, Comia added.

“I pity them because they said that they had to borrow from their relatives to pay for their recruitment fees only to find out that they were duped and were illegally recruited,” Comia said, referring to the P310,000 placement fees and travel costs that the victims paid.

All four have already been turned over to the custody of the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) for investigation and filing of appropriate charges against the recruiter. (Editor: Julie Espinosa)