A human trafficking victim instantly admitted that she was illegally recruited upon immigration secondary inspection.
According to members of the Bureau of Immigration’s (BI) Immigration Protection and Border Enforcement Section (I-PROBES), the victim alias Nina, was referred for secondary inspection for her numerous inconsistencies during primary inspection. She initially claimed to be bound for Hong Kong and Macau last November 3 for a four-day tour.
Upon approaching the secondary inspection officer, Nina immediately blurted out that she did not want to push through with her flight anymore, and admitted that she was actually bound to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) where she was recruited to work as a household service worker (HSW).
“Aamin po ako sayo. Papunta ako sa UAE pagkatapos kong mag-tour sa Hong Kong,” said Nina. “Pero ayaw ko nang tumuloy kasi kinakabahan ako. Parang may kakaiba sa biyahe ko na ito,” she added.
She stated that she was recruited by a Filipina that she met on Facebook, and was offered a monthly salary of Php 30,000.
BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco said that Nina made the right decision, which could have saved her from exploitation abroad.
Victim admits she was recruited illegally
“We are glad that our constant reminders are reaching our kababayan,” said Tansingco. “Ultimately, the decision to protect oneself would come from the individual. Let us not put ourselves in danger by agreeing to departing through illegal means,” he added.
Nina’s case was immediately endorsed to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking, who provided assistance and initiated an investigation against her recruiter.
Meanwhile, BI officers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) barred from entering the country on Thursday, an American previously convicted of sex crimes in the United States (US).
Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco 39-year-old Thomas Henry Vander Waal was intercepted at the NAIA Terminal 1 upon his arrival aboard a China Eastern Airlines flight from Taipei, Taiwan.
Tansingco said the American was immediately issued an exclusion order after the officer who processed his arrival saw that his name was in the BI’s alert list of registered sex offenders (RSO).
“Our immigration law expressly forbids entry of aliens who have been convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude because they are an undesirable aliens,” the BI Chief stressed.
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