The Bureau of Immigration at Ninoy Aquino International Airport reported that they had apprehended a female passenger whose identity remains withheld for her protection when she attempted to board her flight bound for Hong Kong on 9 December.

She initially claimed to be traveling to Hong Kong for a self-funded vacation, but during the secondary inspection, the BI's Immigration Protection and Border Enforcement Section officer discovered that the documents she presented were not real.

During the interview, she admitted that three months prior, she had been approached by a woman she had met at a bar who had recruited her. It was also disclosed by the victim that she had lost communication with her recruiter, who had only sent her travel paperwork the night before her trip.

According to the victim's account, she was supposedly headed to work as a club freelancer while using Malaysia and Singapore to exit and enter Hong Kong to renew her visa.

BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco said that the incident serves as a stark reminder of the insidious nature of human trafficking and the deceptive tactics employed by illegal recruiters.

The BI chief added that they vehemently condemn the despicable acts of human traffickers and illegal recruiters who exploit the vulnerable. They call on the public to be more vigilant and report any suspicious activities to help them in their collective efforts against these criminal enterprises.

The intercepted passenger was immediately turned over to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking for further investigation.