Security Screening Officers (SSOs) of the Office for Transportation Security (OTS) went beyond their duty when they responded to a distress call from three departing passengers of Philippine Airlines Flight Number 2827 bound for Cebu at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 2 last October 30, 2023.
The passengers ran to the security screening checkpoint to seek help believing they were victims of human trafficking.
According to the report submitted by Shift-in-Charge Jomar Fugaban to OTS administrator Jose Briones, Jr., one of the passengers typed in his phone, “Can you help us? We were fooled.” which was shown to Checkpoint Supervisor Febe Valenzuela and SSO Regie Narag.
This prompted SSO Narag to call the attention of the Philippine National Police Aviation Security Group and the Manila International Airport Authority’s Airport Police who immediately responded to prevent the boarding of 31 Vietnamese and three Chinese nationals who were suspected victims of human trafficking.
After the initial interview conducted by the PNP, the victims were turned over to the custody of the NAIA Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking.
