Filipina trafficking victim repatriated from China

A 33-year-old Filipina trafficking victim was repatriated from China shortly before midnight last 27 February, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) reported Friday.

The woman arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on a China Southern Airlines flight from Guangzhou. Her return follows an arrest by Chinese authorities for working without a valid visa.

Immigration commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said the woman had been employed as a cleaner in China for approximately three years despite lacking proper work documentation.

According to bureau records, the woman originally left the Philippines as a tourist bound for Vietnam. She later crossed overland into China through an irregular migration route.

Her undocumented status was eventually discovered by Chinese immigration officials. Following her discovery, she surrendered her passport to authorities.

The Bureau of Immigration said the repatriation was a coordinated effort between the Philippine Embassy in China and Chinese officials, who processed the necessary travel documents for her return.

Upon her arrival in the Philippines, the woman received support from the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking, which is providing initial assistance and investigating her case.