A potential victim of human trafficking bravely admitted to her illegal recruitment ordeal during a secondary inspection by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
The victim, who identified herself as Nina, had initially declared her intention to travel to Hong Kong and Macau for a short four-day tour when subjected to the primary inspection on November 3. However, her numerous inconsistencies raised red flags, prompting immigration officers to refer her for a secondary inspection.
Approaching the secondary inspection officer, Nina, fraught with nervousness, suddenly confessed, “Aamin po ako sayo. Papunta ako sa UAE pagkatapos kong mag-tour sa Hong Kong,” which translates to “I will admit it.
I’m going to the UAE after touring Hong Kong.” She went on to explain her apprehensions, saying, “Pero ayaw ko nang tumuloy kasi kinakabahan ako. Parang may kakaiba sa biyahe ko na ito.”
According to Nina, she had been recruited by a fellow Filipina she met on Facebook, who promised her a monthly salary of Php 30,000 in exchange for working as a household service worker (HSW) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco commended Nina for her courage and the decision she made, emphasizing that it could potentially save her from exploitation abroad. “We are glad that our constant reminders are reaching our kababayan,” Tansingco stated.
“Ultimately, the decision to protect oneself would come from the individual. Let us not put ourselves in danger by agreeing to depart through illegal means,” he added.
Nina’s case was swiftly forwarded to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking, which promptly provided her with assistance and initiated an investigation against her recruiter.
