By Lane Afable, News Editor
Five suspected trafficking victims bound for Albania were barred from leaving by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) at Mactan–Cebu International Airport (MCIA).
The victims—four females and one male in their late 30s to mid-40s—attempted to board a Cathay Pacific flight last April 12 but were intercepted by immigration officers for suspicious travels abroad.
Primary inspection officers doubted the group after they claimed to be private sector employees and were traveling to Thailand to participate in the Songkran Festival for leisure.
The group was referred for secondary inspection, during which they admitted that they were bound for Albania to seek employment as cleaners.
According to the BI, the passengers disclosed that they each paid around ₱90,000 for the processing of their documents. They were instructed by their recruiter to proceed to Thailand, where they would await the release of their visas and onward travel arrangements to Albania.
Viado condemned the scheme, warning that trafficking operations involving victims bound for Albania appear to be resurfacing.
“Amid rising economic pressures, trafficking schemes continue to prey on Filipinos by luring them with deceptive job offers abroad,” Viado said.
“Our officers remain vigilant in detecting trafficking attempts at our ports. We will continue to enforce strict departure screening measures to prevent similar incidents,” he added.
The passengers were turned over to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) for further investigation and the filing of appropriate charges against their recruiters.
