Four Rescued from Human Trafficking at Manila Airport

In a recent operation at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City, four individuals were saved from a human trafficking scheme, according to the Bureau of Immigration. The rescue occurred on January 22 at Terminal 1, where the victims, aged between 28 and 43, were intercepted by the Immigration Protection and Border Enforcement Section (I-PROBES). Initially, the group claimed they were colleagues heading to Hong Kong for a holiday, but discrepancies in their stories led to a deeper investigation. It was revealed that they were not coworkers and had been given fake documents by a travel agent to pose as tourists. BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado stated that the victims were likely destined to work as entertainers overseas, having paid 30,000 pesos to the agency for the fraudulent setup. Further inquiries showed that three of the victims had previously worked illegally abroad as entertainers before returning to the Philippines. One victim also confessed to having used a small boat in the southern Philippines to illegally travel abroad in the past to avoid immigration checks. Viado highlighted the deceptive practices used by recruiters who trick individuals into using fraudulent documents or illegal travel methods to exploit them abroad. The victims have been handed over to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking for additional investigation and support.