By Rodolfo Dacleson II
(April 28, 2025) – The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Monday reported the rescue of two Filipinas supposedly destined for Bahrain after being recruited by a human trafficker online.
BI commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said the victims were intercepted at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Friday. They claimed to be friends traveling to Hong Kong for vacation. They had travel documents under the pretense of overseas employment.
According to the BI, the recruiter misled the victims by promising them factory jobs in Bahrain with a monthly salary of around P19,000. They were told to pose as tourists to bypass immigration scrutiny.
“This case has also exposed the same recruiter as the mastermind behind another group supposedly scheduled to leave for Thailand on April 29,” said Viado in a media release.
The victims have been referred to the Inter-Agency Against Trafficking (IACAT) to pursue legal action against their recruiter.
“More than 20 individuals that are said to be recruited to this scheme are now under surveillance. This information has been forwarded to IACAT, and we are fully committed to dismantling this trafficking ring,” added Viado.
Earlier this month, four Filipinos returned to the Philippines after being forced to work in online scam hubs in Cambodia under abusive conditions. They were recruited via job postings on Facebook offering supposed employment as encoders or customer service representatives.
In March, over 200 Filipinos were repatriated after escaping online scam hubs in Myanmar, where some of them were allegedly tortured. They were also falsely promised high salaries.
Corruption and weak enforcement at local levels have hindered the Philippines from eliminating human trafficking, according to the 2024 Trafficking in Persons Report by the United States Department of State.
It added that 890 victims of human trafficking were tallied in the Philippines in 2024.
“We are committed to securing justice for our people and protecting Filipinos from exploitation at home and abroad,” said Viado.
(PM)
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