Five female minors were barred from boarding a flight bound for Saudi Arabia at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) after falsifying documents to be able to work in the Arab country.
Deputy Commissioner and Port Operations Division chief Marc Red Mariñas of Bureau of Immigration (BI) said the women, whose identities were not revealed for privacy purposes, are suspected to be victims of a human trafficking syndicate who instructed the minors to act as adults.
“This is a clear case of human trafficking involving a syndicate that sends young girls to work abroad by letting them assume the identities of older women through falsification and tampering of travel documents,” Mariñas said.
Despite the falsified documents, the women also gave inconsistent answers when they were interviewed.
The minors were taken to the the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking for assistance and further investigation.
Meanwhile, BI commissioner Jaime Morente instructed Mariñas to impose stiff measures in screening departing overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
“In particular, you should ensure that the person and the documents presented match,” the BI chief told Mariñas.
Earlier, a 17-year-old girl was also intercepted from boarding a plane to Riyadh after submitting a document which claims her real age is 23.
Offloaded at NAIA? Here’s why it happens & how to avoid it
It’s one of an OFW’s worst nightmares: being offloaded in the airport, minutes away from boarding a plane. Your bags are all packed and you have said your goodbyes to family and friends (who have wished you a safe flight in return) and you are flagged by an airport officer who tells you you cannot board the plane.
Many OFWs have found themselves being offloaded at the airport, unable to go abroad and fulfill their dream of helping their families here in the Philippines by working overseas.
This comes as the government continues to intensify efforts to combat human trafficking. Data from the Bureau of Immigration show that 43, 323 Filpinos have been barred from leaving the country in 2016 alone.
According to NAIA Immigration Officer Dennis Opiña, Dubai is the most common destination of Filipinos who want to work overseas.
“Dito kasi sa Dubai napakarami nang Pilipino. Ang gagawin lamang ng kababayan natin hahanap ng sponsor, halimbawa, o kung wala man sponsor magpapakuha lamang o maga-apply ng visa,” Opiña said.
For her part, Immigration spokesperson Angelica Pedro said “inconsistencies” in the travel plan may result in a Filipino traveler being offloaded.
“If we find out that there is an inconsistency in any part of your travel, offloading may be a consequence of that,” she said.
Overseas Workers Welfare Administrator Hans Leo J. Cacdac, in a phone interview from Manila, said it’s the immigration officers’ job to scrutinize Filipinos leaving the country. He said OFWs, for their part, should ensure that they have proper documents.
“Trabaho ng ating immigration officers na magkaruon ng paniniguro na ang mga umaalis ng bansa na mga manggagawa, lalo na yung papunta ng Middle East, ay napangangalagaan,” Cacdac said.
“Kung ang sirkumstansya ay kaduda-duda (kaya di pinaalis), para sa akin ay para sa kabutihan na rin yun ng mga kababayan natin. Kumuha muna ng sapat na dokumentasyon mula sa gobyerno natin. Isipin nyo na lang na kung di ganun kahigpit ang mga immigration officers, makakaalis ang maraming mga kababayan natin at ang susunod dyan ay tataas naman ang mga kaso ng abuse,” Cacdac said.
So the next question is: how do you avoid being one of them? How do you avoid being offloaded? Here are some important tips to consider:
Make sure you have all immigration requirements
Airport authorities have strict policies when it comes to immigration requirements. These include:
• Visa
• Valid passport
• Plane ticket
• Supporting documents and IDs
Ace your interview with immigration officials
It’s your turn to be questioned by immigration personnel. The tip is to answer their questions in a truthful, straightforward manner. Some of the questions they usually ask are:
• Which company will you work for?
• Where will you be staying?
Prepare additional documents
Sometimes, immigration personnel ask for proof that a passenger has business to a particular country he or she is going to, or if a tourist is really just going to visit for a holiday. It is always wise to bring the following documents that you can present:
• Company ID
• Income Tax Return (for returning OFWs)
• Certificate of Employment
So the next time you travel or find yourself just days before a flight, do remember to prepare the right documents, be confident in your answers during the interview and bring supporting documents that you might need to present to immigration personnel.
