A 28-year-old Filipina was stopped by immigration officers at the airport on June 23 as she tried to leave for Hong Kong after authorities found she was being recruited for illegal work overseas.
The Bureau of Immigration’s (BI) Immigration Protection and Border Enforcement Section said the woman was intercepted after officers noticed inconsistencies in her documents.
She first said she was going to visit Disneyland but later admitted she was recruited on Telegram by unidentified Chinese contacts to work in a POGO-like company in Cambodia.
She told authorities she was promised $1,000 to work in an online gaming firm suspected to be a scam operation. She said she did not know the real identities of her recruiters or would-be employers but accepted the offer because of the high pay.
“This case highlights the evolving tactics of trafficking syndicates who continue to lure victims through online platforms. We remain committed to protecting our kababayans from falling victim to these schemes. We thank President Marcos for his unwavering support in strengthening border protection and empowering law enforcement agencies to take decisive action,” BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said.
The government described the interception as part of efforts to curb human trafficking in line with the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to ensure the safety of Filipinos at all exit points.
The victim was turned over to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking for help and to pursue cases against her recruiters.
