4 underage OFWs intercepted at Clark airport

Officers of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) in Clark intercepted four female overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) on Sunday for presenting travel documents making them appear older than they really are.

In a report to BI Commissioner Jaime Morente, BI Travel Control and Enforcement Unit (TCEU) Officers Clarissa Bartolome and Kristan Balanquit stated that the four, whose names are withheld following anti-trafficking laws, attempted to board a Qatar Airways flight to Doha to work as household service workers (HSWs).

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The victims, all hailing from the Southern part of the country, reportedly were referred by primary inspection officers for further assessment upon noticing inconsistencies in their responses.

“The officers noted that the four gave highly inconsistent statements about their age and were unable to provide basic details about themselves,” said Morente.

According to the Bureau, the minimum age to work as HSWs in the Middle East as set by the government remains at 24.

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“Many trafficking victims are given fraudulently acquired documents to make them appear older than they really are for them to qualify to work abroad,” said Morente. “These policies are in place to protect them from harm. This is a form of human trafficking, and their victims are often minors and underaged women,” he added.

4 underage OFWs intercepted at Clark airport

The victims were turned over to the Clark International Airport Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking for assistance in filing cases against their recruiters.

Last month, BI officers at the Clark International Airport (CIA) in Pampanga stopped from leaving the country three women bound for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) suspected of being human trafficking victims.

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In a report to Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente, the ’s Travel Control and Enforcement Unit (TCEU) said the passengers were intercepted as they attempted to board an Emirates flight to Dubai.

When interviewed, however, the women confessed that they were recruited to work overseas without securing the required overseas work permits from the government.

They added that they received instructions from their handler via Facebook, and that they received copies of their visa and return ticket through the Internet.

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