BI stops 14 trafficking victims in just one week

Inquirer file photo/Alexis Corpuz

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Sunday raised concerns over the increasing number of Filipinos trafficked by “catphishing” scam syndicates, with 14 victims intercepted in just one week.

Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado in a statement said that authorities apprehended 14 victims attempting to leave the country for illegal work in scam hubs abroad.

According to the Immigration Protection and Border Enforcement Section chief Mary Jane Hizon, traffickers prey on vulnerable individuals, particularly young Filipinos, by promising legitimate employment in reputable business process outsourcing (BPO) companies, only for them to end up trafficked into scam hubs and forced to work as “catphishers.”

READ: BI referred over 990 human trafficking victims to IACAT in 2024

The first batch of interceptions occurred on Feb. 4, when three victims, ages 33, 25 and 27, were rescued at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 while attempting to board a Philippine Airlines flight to Thailand.

The passengers reportedly presented themselves as first-time travelers on a self-funded trip, but their conflicting responses during initial questioning raised suspicions, prompting a more thorough inspection.

During the probe, the victims admitted they had been recruited to work in Cambodia as customer service representatives for a BPO company.

The following day, on Feb. 5, a group of 11 trafficking victims in their mid-20s were intercepted while trying to board the same airline’s flight to Bangkok, Thailand.

The victims initially claimed to be students from a certain school on a four-day trip to Thailand. However, their inconsistent answers prompted further investigation.

In-depth questioning revealed they had been lured with promises of a P50,000 monthly salary to work at fraudulent BPOs in Pakistan. Their recruiter had instructed them to pose as students on vacation and to conceal their Pakistani visas.

Viado condemned the scheme, emphasizing that it puts Filipinos in dangerous situations where “they face limited or no opportunity for escape, trapped in illegal work within unregulated industries and fraudulent business operations.”

Meanwhile, the BI noted that the intercepted victims were referred to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking for assistance, and efforts are underway to file cases against the recruiters.