MEMBER agencies of the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) Task Force rescued a 35-year-old woman from an alleged human trafficking and illegal recruitment scheme at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 on Sept. 12.
The operation was initiated after the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) shared intelligence with Bureau of Immigration (BI) personnel assigned to the Immigration Protection and Border Enforcement Section (I-PROBES).
Acting in accordance with the IACAT Guidelines on Departure Formalities—which mandate immediate immigration interception upon receiving alerts regarding at-risk departing passengers—officers detained the traveler for secondary assessment prior to her scheduled flight.
The passenger, identified under the pseudonym “Inah,” was attempting to travel to Thailand as a tourist.
Investigators revealed that she was recruited through online messaging platforms, specifically Telegram and Messenger, by an individual posing as a company human resources representative named “Miss A.”
Inah was offered a monthly salary of ₱50,000 to work as a phone operator for a casino operating near the Myanmar-Thailand border, a region frequently flagged by law enforcement for syndicate-run scam hubs.
Five individuals, including BI personnel, are currently under investigation to determine their potential involvement or liability in the operation.
BI Commissioner Joel Anthony M. Viado commended the prompt inter-agency response, noting that the bureau remains aligned with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to intensify anti-trafficking enforcement at international gateways.
“We will not allow our airports to become gateways for trafficking and illegal recruitment,” Viado stated, adding that any bureau personnel found implicated following due process will face strict accountability.
In light of the incident, the BI commissioner reminded citizens seeking overseas employment to bypass unverified social media recruiters.
Jobseekers are urged to validate all foreign job offers and secure proper clearance through the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) before making travel arrangements.
