THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) confirmed Monday that three Filipino men were stopped at Davao International Airport on October 17 before they could depart, after authorities uncovered plans to send them to Eastern Europe for what was described as military‑related work.
The trio initially claimed they were bound for Thailand to compete in or coach a Muay Thai tournament, but further questioning revealed they had been promised monthly salaries of ₱200,000 to serve as soldiers or border guards.
The men identified their recruiters only as “Alexander” and “Oleg,” who they said arranged and financed their travel through social media platforms Facebook and Telegram.
They were told their European visas would be issued upon arrival in Thailand. One also disclosed that the original plan on October 13 involved leaving through an alleged “backdoor” route in Zamboanga, which was later changed to commercial air travel from Davao.
The interception comes amid growing alarm over the recruitment of Filipinos to fight in the Russia‑Ukraine conflict. Earlier reports from Ukraine’s military intelligence confirmed at least three Filipinos have been killed after being deployed to the front lines.
BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado reiterated a public warning to jobseekers: “Be wary of offers promising high pay with vague details or unusual travel arrangements. Always verify the employer and agency with the Department of Migrant Workers before accepting any work abroad.” The three men are now undergoing further investigation.
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