ILOILO City – Bureau of Immigration (BI) officers at the international airport here have intercepted six female trafficking victims trying to fly to Lebanon to work as domestic helpers.
In a report to BI Commissioner Jaime Morente, the bureau’s travel control and enforcement unit (TCEU) said the women were stopped recently at the departure area of the Iloilo International Airport (IIA) as they were about to board a Cebu Pacific flight to Hong Kong.
“Upon arriving in Hong Kong they were supposed to board their connecting flight to Beirut to work as household service workers (HSWs) without the appropriate overseas work permits,” said Ma. Timotea Barizo, BI-TCEU overall supervisor.
Barizo recounted that the trafficking attempt was foiled after they were tipped by informants.
The trafficking victims admitted during interview that they were going to that Middle East country without the necessary work permits.
They said that a certain “Alfred” facilitated the processing of their travel documents, promising their work visas would be given upon arrival in Beirut.
Meanwhile, Morente reiterated his appeal to the public to report possible cases of human trafficking. (Jun Ramirez)
