THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) is on alert against human trafficking syndicates who might take advantage of the peak summer season to spirit their victims out of the country.
BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval said immigration officers detailed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and other international ports of entry in the country are on the lookout against trafficking victims, especially with the expected influx of travelers this summer.
“During peak season, there could be some young travelers pretending to be in the company of regular tourists, when in fact, they are victims of human trafficking,” Sandoval told reporters.
“Traffickers might really take advantage of the peak season,” she added.
Sandoval said immigration officers are trained to spot these would-be victims of human trafficking to prevent them from leaving the country.
She said recent interceptions by immigration authorities showed many victims of human trafficking are enticed to work abroad, particularly in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar, but end up working in scam hubs where they are abused and exploited.
Early this month, more than 200 Filipinos were rescued and repatriated after working in scam hubs in Myanmar.
“That’s why we keep on reminding our kababayans that if they see job offers online on Facebooks, Telegram and WhatsApp to beware,” she said.
But Sandoval assured the public that those who have legitimate reasons to travel abroad, whether to work or as tourists, have nothing to fear about being stopped at airports or offloaded by immigration personnel.
“All (regular travelers and tourists) need to show is their passport, round-trip ticket, and visa if needed,” Sandoval said.
Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado has repeatedly urged Filipinos planning to work abroad to do it the legal way by making sure that the agencies they are applying to are legitimate and have the necessary accreditation from the Department of Migrant Workers to prevent them from being victimized by human traffickers.
