BI nabs Fil-Taiwanese at Clark airport for alleged human trafficking

MANILA, Philippines — A Filipino-Taiwanese woman suspected of being a member of a human trafficking syndicate has been arrested by authorities at Clark International Airport (CIA) in Angeles City, Pampanga.

The suspect was found with 22 Philippine passports in her possession when she attempted to board a flight to Taipei, Bureau of Immigrations (BI) CIA chief Joseph Quizon said Thursday.

“The passports were found inside her luggage and she admitted during questioning that these belong to people who were recruited by her bosses to work in Malta without appropriate permits and proper documents,” Quizon said in a statement.

Quizon said the victims, whose names were withheld, already paid the alleged trafficker P150,000 in return for processing their working visas in Malta, which would be done in Taiwan.

The suspect has also identified two Maltese nationals as contacts who would arrange the job placements of the victims, BI officers Virgilio Notario Jr. and Maria Rocio Theresa Ayson said.

“We have learned that some of the recruits were already demanding the return of their money as they had waited too long and given up on their overseas job prospects,” Notario and Ayson said, as quoted in the same statement.

The suspect was already turned over to the custody of Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking for investigation and filing of appropriate charges. /jpv