Bureau of Immigration (BI) officers at the Clark International Airport (CIA) intercepted four trafficking victims who were attempting to illegally work in the beauty and spa industry in Qatar.
Immigration protection and border enforcement section (I-PROBES) chief Bienvenido Castillo III reported that the victims, all male, initially presented themselves as friends going on a vacation in Singapore last August 21.
Immigration officers noted conflicting statements and referred them for secondary inspection.
During the interview, the victims admitted that they had been recruited by one of their companions, who promised them jobs as hairdressers and massage therapists in Qatar with a monthly salary of P15,000- P25,000.
Castillo said their male companion claimed that he himself was recruited by a Dubai-based recruiter and he merely invited three other friends to join the scheme.
Their recruiter, in exchange for arranging their employment, demanded P10,000 for processing their documents.
According to them, they were advised to present themselves as tourists to avoid detection, under the pretense of a vacation in Singapore.
BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco issued a stern warning to individuals considering evading immigration checks by disguising themselves as tourists.
“Attempting to bypass immigration clearance through deceptive means is illegal and highly risky,” said Tansingco.
“Such schemes are not new and are persistently used by traffickers. Our officers are well-trained to detect and prevent these fraudulent activities, including recognizing fake stories and itineraries to persuade immigration officers.” he added.
The four were referred to the CIA inter-agency council against trafficking (IACAT) for further investigation.
