BI Foils Trafficking of 4 Filipinos Bound for Russia

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) intercepted four Filipinos at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) who were identified as potential victims of human trafficking after allegedly being recruited for work or military service in Russia. The passengers were intercepted in separate incidents at NAIA Terminal 1 on September 18 and 19 after immigration officers found inconsistencies in their declared destinations and referred them for secondary inspection, the BI said in a statement on Tuesday. Three passengers traveling together on September 18 had declared Thailand as their destination. During questioning, one disclosed that Russia was his actual destination and that he had been recruited through a Facebook post for a security job offering P70,000 a month. The two others gave different accounts of their recruitment, with one saying he was recruited by an unidentified person in Bangkok and the other saying his trip was sponsored by an individual. The following day, another passenger who had declared Vietnam as his destination disclosed that Russia was his intended destination and that he had been recruited for military service there, the BI said. He reportedly said he was promised P150,000 a month, citizenship after one year and additional bonuses for completing a “special mission.” He also presented a concealed Russian visa and said he did not pay for his travel expenses. The four passengers were assessed as potential victims of human trafficking and turned over to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking for further assessment, investigation and assistance. Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony M. Viado urged Filipinos seeking overseas employment to verify job offers through the Department of Migrant Workers and its licensed recruitment agencies. — Mark Joseph M. Sanchez