Four Filipinos, who posed as tourists going to Singapore for a vacation, were stopped from leaving after they were found to be human trafficking victims, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said.

In a statement, the BI said that the four men whose names were not disclosed were intercepted at the Clark International Airport (CIA) in Pampanga last Aug. 21 before they could board their flight to Singapore.

It said "the victims initially presented themselves as a friends going on a vacation in Singapore."

However, it said that  immigration officers observed conflicting statements from the four men who were referred to secondary inspection.

During the secondary inspection, the BI said “the victims admitted that they had been recruited by one of their companions, who promised them jobs as hairdressers and massage therapists in Qatar with a monthly salary of P15,000 to P25,000."

“Their male companion claimed that he himself was recruited by a Dubai-based recruiter and he merely invited three other friends to join him," it also said. 

It noted that the four men confessed that their recruiter demanded P10,000 for processing their documents.

“According to them, they were advised to present themselves as tourists to avoid detection, under the pretense of a vacation in Singapore,” it also said. 

“Such schemes are not new and are persistently used by traffickers,” said BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco. 

“Our officers are well-trained to detect and prevent these fraudulent activities, including recognizing fake stories and itineraries to persuade immigration officers.” he stressed.