The Bureau of Immigration (BI) officers intercepted three trafficking victims attempting to illegally work as entertainers in South Korea.
The BI’s immigration protection and border enforcement section (I-PROBES) revealed that the victims, all females, initially presented themselves as tourists bound for Thailand at the Clark International Airport (CIA) on March 10, accompanied by another female companion. However, discrepancies in their statements led to further scrutiny, prompting immigration officers to subject them to secondary inspection.
During questioning, the trio admitted that their companion was, in fact, their recruiter and that their true destination was South Korea, where they had been promised employment as singers. The victims disclosed that the recruiter had offered them a monthly salary of P40,000, enticing them with false promises of legitimate employment opportunities.
Expressing their desire to follow legal procedures, the victims lamented that the recruiter had coerced them into concealing their intended destination by posing as tourists. It was revealed that the recruiter intended to accompany them to Korea and then return to the Philippines alone.
BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco cautioned aspiring overseas workers against falling prey to deceptive recruiters, highlighting the prevalence of cases where victims are misled into exploitative situations such as prostitution.
“Aspiring workers should also protect themselves by ensuring that they only apply for work through legal means,” emphasized BI Commissioner Tansingco.
The three victims and their recruiter were handed over to the CIA Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT). Legal charges are anticipated to be filed against the recruiter in connection with the incident.
