The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Wednesday, Oct. 19, warned aspiring Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) against illegal recruiters providing their victims with fake travel documents.
BI Commissioner Jaime Morente announced the warning after two passengers disguised as tourists were intercepted at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 last Oct 7.
Morente said the passengers, whose names were withheld for their protection, attempted to board an Emirates Airlines flight to Dubai.
“We are currently in a pandemic, and it is disheartening to know that these illegal recruiters still have the audacity to take advantage of their fellows,” Morente lamented.
In a report to Morente, the Travel Control and Enforcement Unit (TCEU) said that both passengers were first-time travelers holding fake company identification cards and certificates of employment of an apparel company.
“They initially told our secondary inspectors that they were sent by their employer to attend training as sales representatives in the UAE. However, our officers found inconsistencies in their statements,” Morente said.
Both passengers eventually admitted they were not hired by the apparel company and showed their employment contracts to work as household service workers (HSWs) for a manager who is working in said apparel firm.
"They will apparently be employed as household workers of an employee of the apparel company, but not under the company itself," Morente said.
He added that the spurious travel papers were handed to them at the airport prior to their flight.
The victims were turned over to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking for assistance.