Several undocumented Filipinos workers posing as tourists were intercepted at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Pasay City last Wednesday, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) revealed today.
The travelers were intercepted by immigration officers in two separate incidents at the NAIA Terminal 3 shortly before they were to board Cathay Pacific flights bound for Taipei and Hong Kong.
Read: 13 victims of suspected scam intercepted in Manila airport with fake boarding passes to Hong Kong
Port operations division chief Grifton Medina said that upon questioning, all confessed that they were not tourists, but in fact hired to work overseas by suspected illegal recruiters. The 12 Tapei-bound passengers admitted they had been recruited for jobs in the United Arab Emirates by a Manila-based travel agency.
Meanwhile, the four women bound for Hong Kong admitted they were going to the city to process their visas to work in mainland China. The women alleged they were recruited by a Filipino-Chinese businessman.
The travelers were brought to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking in Ermita, Manila, for questioning.
“Many still attempt to leave in the guise of being tourists, some in fake group tours. We wish to warn our countrymen about this modus, do not fall for the sweet-talk of these illegal recruiters. They only want to profit at your expense,” warned BI Commissioner Jaime Morente.
Almost a month ago, the BI intercepted 13 people who wore identical T-shirts after they presented fake boarding passes for their flight to Hong Kong. The BI suspect that they were also victimized by illegal recruiters.
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