A REPATRIATED Filipino trafficking victim from Myanmar has turned out to be a Chinese, the Bureau of Immigration said yesterday.
Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco said immigration officers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport were baffled when alias “King” presented himself as a Filipino during arrival inspection.
Investigation showed the 40-year-old man left the country last July 2023 for Thailand using a Chinese passport while holding a permanent residence visa.
“PHe admitted that he used his Chinese passport as advised by his recruiters to prevent questioning about his purpose of travel,” Tansingco said.
Upon his arrival in Thailand, alias “King” crossed a river to Myanmar together with three others where they were forced to work without proper compensation.
Tansingco said the man told immigration officers he was only released from forced labor after paying his recruiters 20,000 baht but was arrested by Thai immigration when he returned to Bangkok and was detained for three months.
“‘King’ said that he feared that he would be deported to China if he used his Chinese passport, and declared that he has never traveled back to China since his mother brought him to the Philippines when he was six months old. His mother is a permanent residence holder in the Philippines, while his father is allegedly a naturalized Filipino,” Tansingco said, adding the man was issued a Philippine travel document by the Philippine embassy in Bangkok and was deported to Manila.
Alias “King” was arrested upon arrival at NAIA and is detained at the BI’s holding facility in Bicutan, Taguig while he faces immigration deportation proceedings.
