As part of its increased internal cleansing operations, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) ordered on Wednesday the relief of seven people suspected of engaging in illegal activity.

According to BI Commissioner Atty. Joel Anthony Viado, this move is in line with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s goal to strengthen border security and end corruption.

Following allegations that they were involved in the unlawful departure of trafficking victims who were repatriated on March 25, Atty. Viado stated that the relieved personnel, who were posted at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminals 1 and 3, are being investigated. If the involved personnel are proven guilty of having assisted the victims, they will face charges from the Department of Justice.

The trafficking victims arrived in Manila on board a Philippine Airlines flight PR733 from Bangkok, Thailand, after being rescued by the Philippine government from online scamming syndicates in Myanmar.

Although there are stricter regulations in place, Atty. Viado noted that it is becoming more difficult to stop trafficking victims at airports because many of them now come from wealthy families and pretend to be tourists. He further stated that syndicates have adjusted by hiring people with spotless travel histories, which makes it more difficult for immigration officials to identify possible victims.

In 2024, a total of 1,093 human trafficking victims were apprehended by the BI. The Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) was tasked with looking into and prosecuting the aforementioned victims' recruiters.

In order to dismantle trafficking networks at the local level, the BI chief emphasized the necessity of a nationwide strategy. He also warned that trafficking syndicates continue to exploit backdoor routes in an attempt to bypass stricter immigration controls.

Earlier this month, the BI reported that three trafficking victims were repatriated from Cambodia after being forced to labor in a scam hub. Investigations discovered that they had no official record of departure and had been transported out by small boats from Jolo, Sulu, to Sabah, Malaysia. The victims admitted that their passports were later stamped with fake Philippine departure marks before they traveled to Cambodia through Malaysia and Thailand.

"Traffickers are looking for ways to evade inspection,” Viado said. “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. This is why continuous vigilance, stronger enforcement, and interagency cooperation are crucial in stopping these crimes"

The Bureau continues to strengthen border security, but curbing trafficking requires cooperation among local government units and other law enforcement agencies.