The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has intercepted several Filipinos allegedly targeted by human trafficking schemes involving fake employment offers in Cambodia.

On Wednesday, 29 October, two men aged 25 and 37 were stopped at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 before boarding an AirAsia flight to Don Mueang, Thailand, on their way to Cambodia. BI said the pair presented falsified employment documents and admitted they were recruited to work for an online company.

One of the victims revealed he had initially declined the offer but was coerced into continuing his trip after being threatened that harm would come to a friend in Cambodia if he refused. He was instructed to pose as a tourist traveling to Thailand.

A similar case occurred the same day, involving two male passengers on a Cebu Pacific flight to Hong Kong, who were also found carrying fake employment papers. Both said they were en route to Cambodia with promised salaries of USD 900 a month (around P53,000).

The following day, 30 October, two female passengers, aged 30 and 32, were intercepted before boarding the same Hong Kong-bound flight. They admitted they were heading to Cambodia to work as chat support agents with salaries of P60,000.

BI continues to warn Filipinos against online job offers abroad and urges travelers to verify employment opportunities before departure.