2 trafficking victims intercepted at NAIA

MANILA, Philippines — Two Filipinas bound for Singapore were intercepted recently by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3.

In a statement yesterday, BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said the two women, aged 32 and 48, were believed to be victims of human trafficking.

They were stopped by personnel of the BI’s immigration protection and border enforcement section from boarding a flight to Singapore due to conflicting travel itineraries.

The victims reportedly pretended to be close friends traveling to Singapore for a vacation.

Upon questioning, the women revealed that their real destination was Albania where they were recruited to work as housemaids, with a monthly salary of P38,000.

The victims said their recruiter offered the job through Facebook. Their travel and employment documents were coordinated through WhatsApp.

“This is another case of online illegal recruitment, a deceptive tactic where workers are deceived by generous job offers, but often end up working under exploitative conditions,” Viado said.

“We urge Filipinos to remain cautious and consult official government agencies before accepting any job offers abroad,” he added.

The victims were turned over to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking for investigation and filing of charges against their recruiter.