In line with the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. to strengthen border protection and intensify the fight against human trafficking, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) intercepted another group of suspected trafficking victims on Saturday, June 29, at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
The three passengers—aged 25, 23, and 39—attempted to depart for Albania by first flying to Malaysia via a Cebu Pacific Flight from NAIA Terminal 3.
They initially claimed to be tourists but later admitted that they were bound for illegal work in Southeastern Europe.
According to their statements, the victims were promised jobs in Albania as a housekeeping attendant, factory worker, and waiter, with monthly salaries ranging from €500 to €700.
Each of them paid between ₱34,000 to ₱74,000 to recruiters they had contacted through Facebook Messenger. After sending the payments, the alleged recruiters blocked them online, leaving the victims without further instructions or valid documentation.
One of the victims had only a photocopy of a supposed Albanian work visa and was told to book the final leg of her journey upon arrival in Malaysia.
BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado expressed outrage over the incident and stressed the increasing frequency of such cases.
“This is an outrageous abuse of our people’s dreams and desperation. These victims were scammed of their hard-earned money and nearly thrown into unsafe, undocumented employment abroad. We will not let this cycle continue,” said Viado.
The BI noted a rising trend of trafficking attempts involving Albania and has since relayed this information to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) for deeper investigation.
“We are now seeing a noticeable rise in illegal departures bound for Albania. These are not isolated cases. We’ve informed IACAT so we can go after the recruiters behind this,” Viado added.
The BI also warned aspiring overseas workers to be extremely cautious when dealing with job offers made online.
“To all Filipinos dreaming of work abroad: be careful who you talk to online. If someone is promising a job overseas without going through the Department of Migrant Workers or proper channels, that’s a red flag. If you’re not careful, you could lose your money, your freedom, or worse,” he said.
The intercepted victims have been turned over to IACAT for assistance and further investigation.
