TWO trafficking victims were intercepted at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 after presenting fake documents they bought on Facebook.
The victims, 51 and 30 years old, were intercepted last March 19 after attempting to travel to Oman on board an Emirates flight transiting through Dubai.
The two victims, a male and a female, both claimed to be bound for the Arab region to visit their respective spouses, who they alleged are overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
However, after assessment by frontline immigration officers, they were referred for secondary inspection after noting inconsistencies in their statements and documents.
Both submitted marriage certificates showing their purported marriage to the OFWs.
During secondary inspection, they admitted to have bought the documents from fixers they met on Facebook. They shared that they were instructed to pose as tourists, sponsored by their fake spouses.
Their marriage certificates were subjected to forensic document inspection, which confirmed that they were indeed fake.
They were both promised work as a car painter and a salon worker in Oman, with an expected salary of only 250 Riyals.
BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco said reminded aspiring OFWs that documents procured through illegitimate means are most likely fake or tampered.
“We cannot just buy documents online,” said Tansingco. “Ensure that you are getting your documents from legitimate sources, lest be duped into getting fake ones,” he added.
