Cambodia-bound trafficking ring busted at NAIA, BI says
By Jun Ramirez and Jun Ramirez
Bureau of Immigration (BI) officers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) have rescued a woman who is an alleged human trafficking victim as she attempted to leave the country using a fake marriage claim.
The incident occurred on May 14 at NAIA Terminal 3 when the Filipina passenger, whose identity was withheld for security reasons, was stopped from boarding an Air Asia flight to Kuala Lumpur en route to Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
(File photo courtesy of Bureau of Immigration)
The BI's Travel Control and Enforcement Unit (TCEU) reported to BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco that the passenger presented a fraudulent certificate of marriage to her alleged Chinese spouse, whom she claimed she was going to meet in Cambodia.
During the investigation, BI inspectors found several inconsistencies in the victim's statement and discrepancies in the presented documents.
Further inquiry revealed that the alleged husband had been denied entry to the country by BI in September 2022 due to concerns that he might become dependent on public assistance.
The marriage certificate presented by the victim indicated that their wedding took place in October, one month after her supposed spouse was barred from entering the country.
The victim confessed that a self-proclaimed lawyer had processed her travel documents for a fee of P35,000 which fund came from her fabricated husband.
Tansingco said the successful intervention in this trafficking case serves as a reminder of their commitment to combating illegal activities at the country's airports.
(File photo courtesy of Bureau of Immigration)
The BI's Travel Control and Enforcement Unit (TCEU) reported to BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco that the passenger presented a fraudulent certificate of marriage to her alleged Chinese spouse, whom she claimed she was going to meet in Cambodia.
During the investigation, BI inspectors found several inconsistencies in the victim's statement and discrepancies in the presented documents.
Further inquiry revealed that the alleged husband had been denied entry to the country by BI in September 2022 due to concerns that he might become dependent on public assistance.
The marriage certificate presented by the victim indicated that their wedding took place in October, one month after her supposed spouse was barred from entering the country.
The victim confessed that a self-proclaimed lawyer had processed her travel documents for a fee of P35,000 which fund came from her fabricated husband.
Tansingco said the successful intervention in this trafficking case serves as a reminder of their commitment to combating illegal activities at the country's airports.