(File photo) MANILA - The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Tuesday cautioned anew the public against trafficking syndicates who prey on children, women, and overseas workers bound for the Middle East and Gulf regions. "It is important that we do not take the issue of human trafficking lightly. This modern-day slavery is still very rampant, and it is happening both here and in other parts of the world," Commissioner Jaime Morente said in a statement. He noted that human traffickers usually lure their victims under the pretext of lucrative jobs overseas, without securing legal documentation. "As a result, those victims of human trafficking are led up to experience compensation issues, or worse mental and physical abuse abroad," he added. This came following news abroad of Indian women who were illegally trafficked and were rescued from inhumane conditions in Kuwait. Meanwhile, BI Travel Control and Enforcement Unit (TCEU) head Timotea Barizo urged the public to remain
Immigration officers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2 prevented five Filipinos, possible victims of human trafficking, from leaving for Libya on March 6.
Immigration officers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2 prevented five Filipinos, possible victims of human trafficking, from leaving for Libya on March 6.
(File photo) MANILA- The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has foiled a total of 688 attempts of human trafficking and illegal recruitment cases in the country's international ports in 2021. Commissioner Jaime Morente, in a statement on Friday, said the bureau also deferred the departure of a total of 13,680 passengers, majority of whom had improper documentation. "Over the year, we have observed the tactics of these illegal recruiters. The victims would usually be given fake documents or fed fake statements, either to work illegally abroad or to attempt to depart for countries with imposed deployment bans," he added in the statement. "In these trying times, Filipinos in dire financial need become easy prey to illegal recruiters who will assure them of lucrative jobs abroad," the BI chief said. BI's Travel Control and Enforcement Unit (TCEU) head, Ma. Timotea Barizo, enumerated common modus operandi employed by human trafficking syndicates such as falsification of