The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has reported the interception of two human trafficking victims bound for Malta.
BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco said the victims posed as friends travelling as tourists as they prepared for their April 29 flight to Bangkok at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 2.
According to the BI Chief, the passengers initially declared leaving for a four-day vacation and presented proof of local employment at dental clinics in the country.
“Both women later admitted during secondary inspection that their final destination is Malta, and that their documents were only handed to them by an unknown person that same morning outside the airport,” added Tansingso.
The victims, however, were unaware that their employment visas to Malta were already cancelled even before leaving the country.
They added that they were instructed by their recruiter to wait for the rest of their travel documents upon reaching Bangkok.
“We call on the public to exercise caution in dealing with recruiters. Several investigations have shown exploitation of domestic and foreign victims in the Mediterranean, and this has long been a cause of concern,” said Tansingco.
“The BI understands being enticed by greener pastures abroad, but by not going through the correct process, aspiring migrant workers risk getting abused overseas,” he added.
Malta remains a hotspot for trafficking – BI
Meanwhile, the trafficking victims were turned over to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) for further investigation and filing of appropriate charges against their recruiters.
Meanwhile, Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Norman Tansingco warned traffickers not to exploit international events of trafficking victims.
Tansingco shared that events such as sports competitions, gaming competitions, and concerts may be used by traffickers to attempt to circumvent strict departure formalities.
“In the past we have recorded victims who claimed they were set to join beauty pageants, shows, only to find out that they were being trafficked abroad,” shared Tansingco.
The reminder comes after a letter from the Department of Justice (DOJ) to the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) requesting that the latter provide adequate warning to athletes, supporters, and attendees of the Southeast Asian (SEA) games of the risks of trafficking in Cambodia.
The DOJ likewise requested that the PSC issue official endorsements that will aid immigration officers in establishing spectators’ declared purpose of travel, and in identifying potentially trafficked or illegally recruited persons.
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