A female overseas Filipino worker (OFW) suspected to be a minor was apprehended at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 on Tuesday for misrepresentation, according to immigration authorities.
In a statement released on Thursday, Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco revealed that the victim, hailing from Sultan Kudarat, was prevented from boarding a flight to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where she intended to work as a household service worker (HSW).
Although the victim possessed a passport with a valid working visa indicating she was 24 years old, officers discovered that her birth certificate had been tampered with.
Tansingco noted that the victim’s behavior raised suspicions about her true age, suggesting she may be younger than 20 and potentially a minor.
The immigration officer who processed the victim’s passport doubted the authenticity of the supporting document.
The investigation confirmed alterations in the birth certificate’s details, including the year of birth.
The Bureau of Immigration described the case as a clear incident of human trafficking.
