BI: 3 trafficking victims made to pose as officemates

The Bureau of Immigration on Monday blocked the departure of three people who were recruited to work illegally in Bulgaria.

''The trafficker and his victims claimed to be traveling officemates bound for Vietnam as an incentive for their work,'' the BI said in a press release on Tuesday.

At NAIA Terminal 3, the victims, aged 25, 27, and 42 years, admitted to immigration officers that they planned to work in Bulgaria without the required documents.

It was also revealed that the trafficker, who pretended to be their employer, had assured them that they would not be charged for the trip.

“The tactic of promising no upfront fees or charges often leaves victims indebted to their recruiter, as their passports and salaries are often withheld. This scheme of supposed salary deduction is actually debt bondage, a form of trafficking,” said BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado.

The victims have been referred to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) for further assistance, while the trafficker may face charges for violating the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2022.

Earlier, the Department of Migrant Workers warned about “cross-country” or “third-country” recruitment schemes that involve stopping in one country before landing at the final destination.

The trafficking schemes often target overseas Filipino workers, the DMW said. — Jiselle Anne Casucian/VBL, GMA Integrated News