Rescue Operation at NAIA Saves Four from Human Trafficking

In a significant operation at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City, four individuals were saved from the clutches of human trafficking, according to the Bureau of Immigration. The rescue took place 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 to be 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 equipped with fake documents by a travel agent to pose as tourists. BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado disclosed that the victims confessed to paying P30,000 to the agency for these falsified documents and stories. Further probes indicated that three of them had previously worked illegally as entertainers overseas before returning to the Philippines. One victim also admitted to having used a small boat in the southern Philippines to illegally travel abroad in the past. Viado highlighted the deceptive practices used by recruiters who trick individuals into using fraudulent documents or illegal travel methods to exploit them abroad. The rescued individuals were handed over to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking for additional support and investigation.