Immigration bureau sacks 7 personnel allegedly involved in 'illegal exit' of Pinoys

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) ordered the relief of seven personnel suspected to be involved in the illegal exit of at least 200 Filipinos, who were recently rescued in Myanmar after allegedly falling victim to human trafficking.

Immigration Commissioner Joel Viado said the BI personnel were assigned at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminals 1 and 3. They are now under investigation and may face cases before the Department of Justice (DOJ) if found guilty.

"Traffickers are looking for ways to evade inspection," said Viado.

"Whether it be a corrupt individual or areas that are vulnerable for illegal travel, these syndicates push to exploit every possible loophole to smuggle victims out undetected," he said.

"This is why continuous vigilance, stronger enforcement, and interagency cooperation are crucial in stopping these crimes," Viado added.

On Tuesday, the first batch of Filipinos repartriated from Myanmar arrived in the Philippines after being rescued in scam hubs in Myawaddy.

The Filipino victims were reportedly recruited through social media.

Another 100 Filipinos returned to the country on Wednesday morning.

The Department of Health (DOH) said the medical needs of the individuals were checked and monitored as they went through standard procedures with the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).

Meanwhile, the DMW has warned the public against offers that are “too good to be true,” adding that most human trafficking cases won’t allow the recruited persons to go through the regular departure process, but through backdoors.

Apart from the financial assistance, the DMW will also provide legal assistance and reintegration programs for the suspected human trafficking victims. — BAP, GMA Integrated News