15 human trafficking victims rescued in Tawi-Tawi

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — Philippine Navy personnel and policemen in Tawi-Tawi together rescued 15 individuals from different Mindanao regions while on board three boats bound to Sandakan in Malaysia, promised with high-paying jobs there by illegal recruiters.

The Naval Forces Western Mindanao and the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region stated in separate reports on Sunday that the 15 human trafficking victims were promptly guided down, in separate operations from June 20 to 21, from three vessels, the Trisha Kerstine II, the Everqueen of Asia and the Lady Mera, while on stopover at the seaport in Bongao, the capital town of Tawi-Tawi.

The Navy unit in Bongao launched the rescue operation with the help of officials of the Bongao Municipal Police Station and the Tawi-Tawi Provincial Police Office after confidential informants had reported that the three boats had passengers who were duped into employment in Malaysia by recruiters.

The rescued human trafficking victims, Roldan Pata, Jerry Badiongan, Ethel Donting, Shiela Marie Manzano, Maria Daisy Silvano, Vilma Tuballa, Radzfer Haver, Jarkim Araji, Damir Alah, Midzfar Marre, Aharabani Juhudani, Airal Umban, Arma Hairal, Anggu Sairul and Nadzmer Benjamin Jasan, were immediately brought to the office of Bongao local government’s  Municipal Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking for its custody.

Radio reports here on Sunday stated that the local government of Bongao and the office of Tawi-Tawi’s provincial governor have provided them with initial relief support and shall together help return them to their provinces in Mindanao.