Despite the government's aggressive crackdown, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said human trafficking syndicates continue to recruit young college graduates to work in illegal online gambling houses in various South East Asian countries.
BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco made the disclosure as immigration officers at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and other ports keep on intercepting aspiring overseas workers to work in underground online gaming activities mostly in Cambodia, Myanmar and Laos.
“These passengers are disguised as tourists bound for Thailand and later transported by traffickers to the said nearby countries, " said Tansingco adding "the recruitment scams show no sign of stopping."
The BI chief explained this is the reason why immigration officers at airports are doubly strict in allowing the departure of Filipino tourists with doubtful travel purpose as "we are duty-bound to protect our citizens from being victimized by these trafficking syndicates.”
Tansingco narrated that last March 8, a female passenger was stopped from boarding her flight to Singapore after she finally admitted to immigration officers at the NAIA that she was recruited for an offshore gaming company in Thailand by someone on Facebook who promised her a salary of US$1,000 a month.
The following day, he said five others were also barred from flying to Thailand for failure to answer even basic questions on the purpose of their trip as tourists.
He also said that last week three young Filipinos were repatriated from Cambodia and Myanmar narrating their harrowing experiences from their recruiters.
“We hear the same painful stories again and again, yet every day we still see victims being enticed to work abroad,” said Tansingco.