THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) successfully intercepted four passengers at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 on Tuesday.
The individuals, consisting of three females and one male, with ages ranging from 20s to 30s, were intercepted after being found to be victimized by an elaborate illegal recruitment scheme.
The BI’s swift action was prompted by information from an anonymous source, providing details about the recruitment activities involving the four individuals.
According to the email, they had been deceived and recruited under false pretenses to work in Cambodia’s online casino industry.
The passengers initially claimed to be employed in the country, and are traveling abroad for tourism. However, during the investigation, they confessed that they had been unlawfully recruited as telemarketers for an online gaming company, enticed with a promised monthly salary of 800 USD.
The BI withheld the identities of the four victims in compliance with anti-trafficking laws. They were immediately turned over to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) for assistance in filing legal cases against the recruiters.
BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco expressed deep concern and issued a stern warning to professionals, urging them to exercise caution and vigilance against falling prey to deceptive recruitment schemes.
He emphasized, “Beware of schemes that promise legitimate call center jobs but ultimately lead individuals into engaging in criminal activities abroad. It is crucial to verify the authenticity of job offers and protect one’s own interests. We are committed to safeguarding the rights and welfare of our fellow citizens.”
Tansingco then reminded aspiring overseas workers to only seek employment abroad through the Department of Migrant Workers, to ensure their protection from traffickers.
