Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Norman Tansingco has ordered an investigation into the rising incidents of human trafficking victims using fake passes to enter the restricted boarding terminals of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
Tansingco instructed immigration port operations chief Carlos Capulong to coordinate the probe with the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) officials..
The BI chief took the action after airport security police intercepted three trafficking victims early this month. The trio reportedly used airport access passes issued to employees of various airport concessionaires to enter the boarding gates.
Alert aviation policemen stopped them from boarding their flights when their entry passes were found to be spurious.
Further inspection also showed their passports and boarding passes bore counterfeit immigration stamps.
Tansingco voiced his concern over the handy work of illegal recruiters after another female victim, using the same ploy, was rescued by aviation police last week.
Tansingco added that recent victims might have used the same strategy to evade strict departure protocols and work illegally abroad like in Myanmar where 12 Filipino women were caught recently by the authorities allegedly involved in online cryptocurrency scam.
Tansingco described the problem as "big security issue" that requires joint investigation by the BI, MIAA and the local law enforcement agencies..
“This keeps on happening despite our best efforts, and something must be done to stop this,” said Tansingco.