By Ferdinand Patinio
MANILA – Eight passengers bound for Indonesia were intercepted and turned over to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) after authorities found indications that they may have been recruited through the “catfishing” modus operandi, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) reported Monday.
In a statement, the bureau said the passengers –five males and three females aged 26 to 49– were intercepted at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 while preparing to depart for Surabaya, Indonesia via Malaysia on Aug. 7.
The victims initially told authorities that they were traveling to Indonesia for a five-day leisure trip and claimed they were traveling with former co-workers from a call center in Makati City. However, during further questioning, inconsistencies in their accounts emerged, including their unfamiliarity with some of their supposed travel companions.
Authorities later learned that the passengers had actually been invited to work in Indonesia as customer service representatives, with a promised monthly salary of between USD1,000 and USD1,500.
Immigration officers also found that five of the victims had previously worked in Cambodia and Myanmar, while two had reportedly left those countries through so-called “backdoor” routes. One had previously been repatriated from Myanmar after reportedly falling victim to trafficking, while another had previously worked as a teacher in Thailand despite holding only a tourist visa.
Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado warned that the case demonstrates that the “catphishing” recruitment modus remains very much alive and continues to put Filipinos at risk, particularly those being lured with attractive overseas job offers.
“This case is alarming because these are not isolated incidents, and the modus is clearly still happening. What is even more disturbing is that some of these individuals had already experienced exploitation abroad, had been rescued or repatriated, and yet were once again being drawn into another potentially dangerous recruitment scheme,” he said.
The BI reiterated that passengers should not rely solely on promises made through online contacts or recruiters, and should verify overseas employment opportunities through legitimate government channels.
The victims were subsequently turned over to IACAT for assessment, assistance and appropriate intervention as potential victims of human trafficking and illegal recruitment. (PNA)
