OFWs. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—Sixteen overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who were believed to be victims of a human trafficking syndicate were stopped by the immigration authorities from leaving the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) on Tuesday.
The victims were intercepted at the Naia Terminal 2 when they presented questionable travel documents, Immigration Commissioner Siegfred Mison said in a statement.
Eleven of the victims were bound for Saudi Arabia via Kuwait and Emirates Airlines with discrepancies in their employment papers, visas and overseas employment certificates (OEC).
Upon interrogation, the OFWs informed immigration officers led by Raymond Nell Ganias that they were leaving the country to work in Saudi Arabia as household servants but their OECs stated their jobs would be as food attendants.
The other five Filipina victims were bound for Dubai via Bangkok to work as OFWs in the United Arab Emirates.
After going through their documents, however, immigration operatives found out that two of them were actually bound for Lebanon and Jordan.
On the other hand, officials found that the other three victims had no visas aside from the photocopied UAE employment visas. They also noted discrepancies in their employment documents.
Mison said they were barred from leaving after they gave “inconsistent answers when asked on the real purpose on their trip.”
The arrest came after the bureau was tipped off by a citizen Mison described as a “concerned lady” about the alleged plan of human trafficking syndicates to use the Naia terminal for their operations.
The immigration bureau chief said the 16 victims disclosed to immigration officials that they were “hired” by an airport employee named “Rocky” to work as domestic helpers and waitresses in Lebanon.
Their travel documents were also processed by the same suspect two months ago.
Following the apprehension, Mison said he ordered immigration personnel at the airport to be extra-vigilant and foil all attempts of these syndicates to use it as venue for their illegal activities.