The Bureau of Immigration renews its warning to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to refrain from engaging illegal recruiters who are using the third-country recruitment scheme.
The statement comes after four OFWs bound for the UAE were barred from leaving the country for presenting fake itineraries.
The four Filipinos were caught separately at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and Clark International Airport.
Commissioner Jaime Morente said the OFWs showed work documents for Maldives, but the UAE was their actual destination.
Two of them, aged 26 and 33, presented overseas employment certificates, work visas, employment contracts, and itineraries bound for Maldives.
Upon verification with online systems at NAIA, it was discovered they were also in possession of valid tourist visas for the UAE.
“Both victims admitted that they received their documents only prior to departure, and one of them said that she had been instructed by their recruiter to conceal her UAE visa. She admitted that they applied to work as domestic helpers, but were given documents to work as sales assistants in Maldives,” Morente said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Travel Control and Enforcement Unit officers from Clark International Airport intercepted two other female OFWs, who also presented documents to work in Maldives.
But they were also found to be in possession of UAE tourist visas.
One of them admitted that she was promised work as a cleaner in the Gulf country. She had paid PHP37,000 to her recruiter.
The other Filipina was repatriated from the UAE last year and intended to go back and work as domestic help.
