The Bureau of Immigration barred five undocumented overseas Filipino workers from leaving the Philippines at the Clark International Airport (CIA) in Angeles City, Pampanga.
BI port operations chief Grifton Medina said that the five OFWs, all women, were intercepted in two separate incidents last May 8 by enforcement officers Kaypee Enebrad and Virgilio Jr. Notario, reported Manila Bulletin.
Two of the five women were trying to board a flight bound for the UAE in the guise of being tourists.
Immigration officers intercepted the two of them after they presented fake visas to the UAE.
It was later discovered that they were going to work in Lebanon as domestic helpers.
On the other hand, the other three were ere bound for Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia where they were hired to work as nightclub entertainers.
“Obviously these women have been victimized by human trafficking syndicates that prey on the poor,” Medina was quoted as saying.
“We must pursue cases against these illegal recruiters to protect our fellow Filipinos from exploitation in foreign lands,” he added.
All five were turned over to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) for further investigation and assistance.
Just a week ago, immigration officers also barred another female OFW at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) from leaving the country after she presented fake documents.
Benlando Guevarra, head of the NAIA 2 TCEU, said that the OFW posed as a seafarer bound for the UAE.
Officials said that the unnamed suspect presented a fake seafarer’s book and a fake overseas employment certificate (OEC).
