A WOMAN illegally recruited to work as a tutor cum house help was rescued by immigration officers at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA).
BI immigration protection and border enforcement section (I-PROBES) chief Bienvenido Castillo III reported the interception of a female victim who attempted to depart on board a Philippine airlines flight for Bangkok last April 2.
The victim, 26-years-old, whose name was withheld in compliance with anti-trafficking laws, said that she was sponsored by a Chinese national who she met on a Facebook group.
She admitted that she was hired to work as a private tutor and a household helper, and was promised a monthly salary of P25,000.
Officers noted that the victim was stopped in March after being found to be recruited to work as a teacher abroad. However, she insisted on attempting to depart despite knowing the illegal circumstances of her recruitment.
BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco reiterated the agency’s warning against online recruitment.
“We have observed that many of these trafficking victims are often recruited through messenger or groups on social media,” said Tansingco. “Avoid entertaining such officers, and only apply through legal means, through the Department of Migrant Workers,” he added. Her case was endorsed to the MCIA Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking for further investigation against her recruiters.
