14 trafficking victims barred from leaving Philippines – Immigration

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has intercepted 14 individuals believed to be victims of human trafficking, allegedly recruited to work in scam hubs abroad.

In a statement on Sunday, February 9, the BI said the victims were prevented from leaving the country as part of efforts to curb trafficking operations.

The first group, consisting of three individuals aged 33, 25 and 27, was stopped at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 on February 4 while attempting to board a Philippine Airlines flight to Thailand.

Although they initially claimed to be first-time travelers on a self-funded trip, inconsistencies in their responses during initial questioning led to further scrutiny by the Immigration Protection and Border Enforcement Section. They later admitted they had been recruited to work in Cambodia as customer service representatives for a fraudulent business process outsourcing (BPO) company.

The following day, immigration officers intercepted another 11 individuals in their mid-20s at NAIA Terminal 1, also trying to board a Philippine Airlines flight to Bangkok, Thailand.

This group initially claimed to be students on a short trip, but their conflicting statements raised suspicions. Upon further investigation, authorities discovered they had been promised a monthly salary of P50,000 to work at fraudulent BPOs in Pakistan. Their recruiter had instructed them to pose as tourists and hide their Pakistani visas.

The 14 intercepted individuals have been turned over to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking for proper assistance, according to the bureau.