The Bureau of Immigration (BI) reported the interception of a suspected trafficking victim who attempted to conceal her true travel purpose by tampering with her passport.
BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval siad that the victim, a 25-year old female from Sultan Kudarat, was intercepted last April 1 at the Davao International Airport before boarding a Cebu Pacific Air flight bound for Bangkok, Thailand.
Sandoval said the victim initially claimed she was traveling alone for an eight-day vacation. However, primary inspection officers discovered a concealed visa page in her passport, prompting her referral to the Immigration Protection and Border Enforcement Section (I-PROBES).
During secondary inspection, the woman admitted that she had intentionally glued together pages of her passport to hide a valid China visa. She later confessed that her actual destination was China, where she was set to meet a supposed “groom” arranged by an acquaintance she met through a relative.
Further investigation revealed that she had no direct communication with the alleged groom and was promised half a million pesos as dowry upon marriage.Her travel documents, including flight and accommodation bookings, were prepared by her contact and she was provided with falsified supporting documents to facilitate her departure.
Authorities believe the victim was being trafficked under the guise of a mail-order bride scheme. She was turned over to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) for assistance and further investigation.
