Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Atty. Joel Anthony Viado announced on Saturday afternoon that six victims of human trafficking were successfully intercepted in Palawan.

Viado revealed that the rescue operation was a result of a collaborative effort between various law enforcement agencies. The BI’s National Operations Center received information about an attempt to traffic victims out of the country illegally.

In line with the President’s directive, agencies have been intensifying their collaboration to combat trafficking activities.

According to Viado, officers from the Immigration Protection and Border Enforcement Section (I-PROBES) immediately coordinated the tip with the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT), which then relayed the information to field agents.

This swift action led to the interception of the victims, who had attempted to leave the country illegally by boat from Bancalaan Island in Balabac, Palawan.

The National Bureau of Investigation in Puerto Princesa and the Philippine National Police-Aviation Security Unit continued to monitor the victims after their arrival in Palawan.

The six individuals had previously traveled from Puerto Princesa to Buliluyan, Bataraza, and finally to Bancalaan Island, where they were apprehended in cooperation with Balabac Municipal Police and local barangay officials.

The victims, who were recruited via Telegram, claimed they were promised jobs in Thailand. They followed the instructions given by their recruiter, which led them to Palawan, where they were instructed to board a boat for their journey.

The NBI safely transported the victims back to Puerto Princesa City for further investigation.

Viado praised the swift response and teamwork of all IACAT-affiliated agencies, emphasizing the importance of continued collaboration in fighting human trafficking.

“Collaboration leads to greater success. This operation demonstrates that law enforcement agencies can achieve more and target larger networks by working together,” he said.

The public is encouraged to report any trafficking attempts to IACAT’s 1343 Actionline.