The Bureau of Immigration logo is superimposed over the airport scene. INQUIRER.net FILES
MANILA, Philippines — Authorities intercepted four female victims of illegal recruitment in two separate and consecutive trafficking attempts at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said in its latest report.
On Thursday, the BI said a Filipina, whose name was withheld for her protection, was stopped from exiting the country last Dec. 9. She confessed a woman she met at a bar months ago recruited her to work abroad. The woman could not be contacted any more, she added.
The victim said her travel documents were sent to her the night before her flight, which secondary inspectors later discovered fraudulent.
Citing the victim, the BI said she was supposed to work as a club freelancer, wherein she would go to Hong Kong to renew her visa and then enter and exit through Singapore and Malaysia.
READ: BI exposes elaborate human trafficking scheme
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, the BI also reported the interception of three Filipino women who pretended to be “co-workers on a three-day holiday.”
The BI said they were stopped last Dec. 8 after attempting to board a flight to Singapore.
The three initially claimed to be working in a logistics company, substantiating their story with purported documents from their employer, the agency said.
READ: BI: Trafficking victim repatriated after paying company P200,000 for release
However, the BI noted that examination during secondary inspection raised suspicions, and it was later revealed that they have active work permits for hotel jobs in Singapore.
The BI said the victims eventually admitted to discovering the job offer through a Facebook group. Their travel documents were also just sent to them by an internet acquaintance for printing.
The BI said the four passengers were all turned over to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking for further investigation.