BY ASHZEL HACHERO
FOUR passengers trafficked by syndicates to work as domestic workers in Lebanon were recently intercepted by immigration officers in the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco announced yesterday.
Tansingco said three of the victims were already cleared for departure when they were intercepted after attempting to board an Air Asia flight to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia last April 21.
Separately, another female victim was intercepted bound for Bangkok, Thailand on the same day after attempting to depart via a Cebu Pacific flight.
Tansingco said the four women disguised pretended to be tourists when they were accosted by immigration officers, claiming that they will be touring abroad but later confessed that their final destination was Lebanon, where they were recruited to work.
“The victims further told our agents that they were recruited by one ‘Helen’ whom they met on Facebook and (who) provided them travel documents,” Tansingco said.
The BI chief said they also disclosed that they were all allegedly instructed by their recruiter to queue for clearance at a specific immigration booth.
With this, Tansingco said he had already relieved the immigration officer assigned to the booth and is now undergoing investigation.
