IMMIGRATION agents have thwarted another human trafficking attempt of a syndicate luring women to work abroad and who subsequently end up engaging in the sex trade.
Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco said the female victim was intercepted last March 22 at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) while trying to depart for Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia with her supposed partner.
Tansingco said the “male trafficker and his victim” claimed to be live-in-partners traveling abroad for vacation, but one of the immigration officers noticed that the former had a very recent travel record to Malaysia.
He said a quick check of his records revealed that he previously left with another female who he claimed was also his partner, but has not returned to the Philippines to date.
“This seems like another case of the ‘bitbit’ scheme, in which a frequent traveler would attempt to transport a female victim who will (end up) working as a sex worker abroad,” said Tansingco.
The female victim was turned over to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking for assistance, while the trafficker was arrested and faces possible cases for violation of the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2022.
