Philippine authorities rescued 139 aspiring overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in an anti-human smuggling operation in Bataan on Wednesday, July 4.
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and National Bureau Investigation (NBI) arrived just in time as the victims enter a cruise ship to Micronesia.
PCG discovered that the Filipinos are victims of human trafficking after they failed to show the necessary documents to board the ship, reported ABS-CBN News.
“Mga supposed OFWs na hindi dumaan sa proper [process] ng POEA (Philippine Overseas Employment Admnistration). Upon the receipt of that information, tumakbo agad ang mga ahente natin dito sa Orion, Bataan particularly dito sa Capinpin Port,” NBI Special Task Force chief Gerald Geralde said.
The victims were recruited from different provinces in the country to work in the cruise ship and in Micronesia.
The 40-member crew also showed fake documents as proof of their employment with the cruise ship. The local government of Orion, Bataan shouldered the transportation of the victims who decided to return to their respective provinces.
The owner and operator of the cruise ship will be charged with violation of anti-human trafficking and anti-illegal recruitment law.
