MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has intercepted three women who claimed to be government employees when they tried to leave for South Korea.
According to BI, the three women were bound for Jeju Island, South Korea, and were about to board a Scoot airlines flight at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 when they were accosted following a primary immigration inspection by bureau personnel on July 9.
The women, whom the BI did not identify in compliance with anti-trafficking laws, reportedly presented travel authorities, saying they were employees of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.
A travel authority is a document that allows government employees to travel on official business or for personal reasons.
However, the women gave inconsistent statements about their work, prompting immigration officers to further verify their documents. They later admitted that they bought the documents from a stall in Quiapo, Manila.