The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) office at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) said it rescued 16 women believed to be victims of human trafficking in a raid in Parañaque City on Friday.
Lawyer Bernard de la Cruz of NBI–Naia said that before the raid, they intercepted at the Naia Terminal 1 four women bound for Malaysia with connecting flights to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on tourist visas.
Upon investigation, the four women admitted they were recruited to work as household workers in Saudi Arabia and other countries in the Middle East.
The raiding team stormed the address provided by the four victims at Veraville Homes 2, San Isidro, Parañaque.
The authorities found 12 other women who were also awaiting deployment to the Middle East countries.
De la Cruz said most of the rescued victims were recruited from the province of Iloilo and from Cagayan De Oro City.
The NBI agents also arrested two men believed to be the victims’ recruiters, identified only as Louie Torre and Efren Esmenio. Both are now being investigated.