The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has voiced serious concerns about the escalating number of Filipinos falling victim to trafficking orchestrated by catphishing syndicates. BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado revealed that within a single week, 14 individuals were stopped from leaving the country for illegal employment in scam centers overseas. The first group of three victims, aged between 25 and 33, was intercepted on February 4 at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1, as they attempted to board a flight to Thailand. The BI’s Immigration Protection and Border Enforcement Section (I-PROBES) noted that these passengers, who claimed to be first-time travelers funding their own trip, raised suspicions due to inconsistent answers during initial screenings. Further questioning revealed they were recruited to work in Cambodia as customer service representatives for a business process outsourcing (BPO) company. On February 5, another 11 victims in their mid-20s were stopped from boarding a flight to Bangkok, Thailand. These individuals initially presented themselves as students on a short trip, but their stories did not hold up under scrutiny. It was discovered they were promised a monthly salary of PHP50,000 to work at fraudulent BPOs in Pakistan, and were instructed to hide their true intentions and visas. Mary Jane Hizon, Chief of BI I-PROBES, highlighted the sinister tactics used by traffickers who target vulnerable young Filipinos with false promises of legitimate jobs, only to trap them in scam hubs as catphishers. Viado condemned the scheme, pointing out the dangerous conditions victims face, with little to no chance of escape from illegal and unregulated work environments. The victims have been handed over to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) for support, while legal action is being pursued against the recruiters.
Bureau of Immigration Raises Alarm on Surge in Catphishing-Related Human Trafficking
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