BI: Beware of sex trafficking schemes

 

MANILA, Philippines — Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Norman Tansingco on Sunday reminded women not to fall for trafficking schemes luring them to work as sex workers abroad.

This comes following a recent interception of a would-be female trafficking victim who attempted to depart for Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia via the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 with her supposed partner.

The male “trafficker” and the woman claimed to be live-in partners traveling abroad for a vacation.

Immigration officers, however, noticed that the male companion also recently traveled to Malaysia but had previously left with another woman, who also claimed to be his partner, but has not yet returned to the Philippines.

“This seems like another case of the ‘Bitbit’ (carry) scheme, in which a frequent traveler would attempt to transport a female victim who will be deceived into working as a sex worker abroad,” Tansingco said.

The BI said that the would-be victim was turned over to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking for assistance, while the alleged trafficker faces possible cases for violation of the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2022.

Further, Tansingco recalled a case in 2023 where a victim illegally boarded a sailboat in Palawan to travel to Malaysia.

The victim reportedly traveled through mountainous terrain to reach a hotel in Sibu, Malaysia, where she was housed as a sex worker.

“She was held captive. Disturbingly, she was subjected to appalling conditions, including being denied food if she failed to satisfy the demands of her captors.She was even forced to undergo abortion when they discovered she was with child,” Tansingco said.

In light of these cases, Tangsingco then called for an increased awareness of these schemes among women, and urged them not to agree to such terms to be able to work abroad.

According to the US Department of State’s 2023 Trafficking in Persons Report, the Philippine government identified 1,277 human trafficking victims last year, including 740 cases of sex trafficking.