CLARK FREEPORT – The Bureau of Immigrations (BI) on Monday said that its officers at the Clark International Airport (CRK) recently rescued four human trafficking victims. The agency said that the four were attempting to illegally work in the beauty and spa industry in Qatar. BI’s immigration protection and border enforcement section (I-PROBES) personnel reported that the victims initially introduced themselves as friends going on a vacation in Singapore last August 21, 2024.
Immigration officers noted conflicting statements from the victims who were referred for secondary inspection. During the interview, 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. BI said their male companion claimed that he himself was recruited by a Dubai-based recruiter and he merely invited three other friends to join the scheme.
Their recruiter allegedly demanded P10,000 from each of his companions for processing their documents. According to the victims, they were advised to introduce themselves as tourists. “Attempting to bypass immigration clearance through deceptive means is illegal and highly risky,” said BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco.
“Such schemes are not new and are persistently used by traffickers. Our officers are well-trained to detect and prevent these fraudulent activities, including recognizing fake stories and itineraries to persuade immigration officers," he added. The four were referred to the CIA inter-agency council against trafficking (IACAT) for further investigation.
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