Officers from the Bureau of Immigration (BI) intercepted three Malaysian-bound passengers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3, who were posing as trainees for a construction firm.

According to BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco, on 13 November, the passengers and their supposed employer attempted to board their flight via Cebu Pacific bound for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

During the primary inspection, the passengers initially declared themselves as operations managers, site supervisors, and painter supervisors with five years of experience. Due to inconsistent statements when they asked about the basic details of their trip, the immigration officer referred them for a secondary inspection.

Eventually, the passengers admitted that they did not personally know their supposed employer, revealing that their acquaintance began only this year.

Tansingco said that further investigation also revealed that one passenger had paid P60,000 to their recruiter, who facilitated their departure to secure waiter jobs in Dubai and Malaysia. The passenger also stated that a portion of the payment amounting to P10,000 was purportedly designated for membership in an organization with accredited chapters in Malaysia and Dubai.

The BI chief added that the intercepted passengers only discovered the job opportunity through a Facebook posting.

Tansingco then expressed his dismay as he highlighted the risks associated with unverified job postings on the internet.

Once again, the Bureau reminded the public to follow proper procedures when seeking employment abroad. As our government continues to safeguard the welfare of all Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), it also urges the public to verify job opportunities abroad through reputable channels and authorized agencies to avoid falling victim to deceptive schemes.

All three passengers, as well as their courier, were immediately turned over to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) for further investigation and the filing of appropriate charges against the recruiters.