Bureau of Immigration (BI) officers stationed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 intercepted a female trafficking victim and a suspected recruiter attempting to depart for Riyadh last October 11.
BI Immigration Protection and Border Enforcement Section (I-PROBES) officers identified the victim as alias ‘Aya’, 21, who attempted to depart together with her alleged uncle, alias ‘Abu’, 28. They were intercepted upon secondary checks performed by I-PROBES officers.
Initially, both claimed to be traveling to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) for pilgrimage, and presented Umrah visas. An Umrah visa is a special permit that allows Muslims to travel to Saudi Arabia for the Umrah pilgrimage.
Reliable intelligence information received by the inter-agency council against trafficking (IACAT) state that alias ‘Aya’ is actually bound for KSA to illegally work as a household service worker.
Alias ‘Aya’ stated during the interview that she is a former household helper in Marawi, but already left her current employer.
Both were turned over to the IACAT for further investigation, which led to the arrest of alias ‘Abu’, as well as recommendation for filing of cases against him and other possible cohorts to their scheme.
BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said that they are launching an investigation as to whether an immigration officer is involved in the trafficking incident.
“We have strengthened our safeguards with multiple layers of monitoring to prevent any form of human trafficking,” said Viado. “Those found complicit in the illegal deployment of Filipinos will be held fully accountable and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” he warned
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