The Bureau of Immigration (BI) stopped three women believed to be victims of human trafficking from leaving the country via Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 this past Saturday.
Aged 46, 31, and 51, the trio was set to board a Jetstar flight to Singapore, asserting they were merely high school friends on a vacation. Yet, inconsistencies in their statements piqued the curiosity of immigration officers, prompting a more thorough check.
It was during this secondary inspection that officials detected anomalies: a peculiar substance on a passport page that pointed to tampering. Further investigations uncovered their employment visas for Malta had been illicitly removed, a modus operandi often linked to major human trafficking rings.
BI Commissioner Tansingco stated that specialized chemicals are used by such syndicates to detach visas and deceive immigration checks. Highlighting the gravity of the situation, he mentioned, “This isn’t the handiwork of small-time operators. These are big syndicates making false promises.”
Starting their visa application process in 2017, the victims had shelled out nearly half a million pesos. On the day of their intended departure, they received their tampered documents at a Baclaran-based restaurant. Their purported end goal was employment in Malta as room attendants in a European hotel, a promise made to lure them under the guise of a Singaporean vacation.
The Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) is now pursuing charges against the recruiter involved in this blatant human trafficking case. Tansingco cautioned the public, underscoring the importance of awareness, and beseeched individuals to remain vigilant against such fraudulent overseas job offers.