BI flags backdoor routes in trafficking cases

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) raised alarm on Monday over another batch of Filipino trafficking victims repatriated a year after their illegal departure through “backdoor” exit routes.

BI commissioner Joel Anthony Viado emphasized the need to intensify monitoring of known illegal departure points, particularly along the country’s southern borders, noting that these routes continue to be exploited by trafficking syndicates using small boats to transport victims abroad.

Viado said enhanced enforcement and closer coordination among concerned agencies are necessary to curb such activities.

The two trafficking victims — males aged 27 and 30 — arrived in the country at dawn last week from Vientiane, Laos, aboard a Philippine Airlines flight after being recruited for supposed labor opportunities abroad.

Initial investigation showed that the victims left the Philippines in 2025 through waters off Zamboanga, evading official immigration controls.

The victims said they were recruited with promises of legitimate employment abroad, particularly as waiters and farm workers, with an expected monthly salary ranging from P40,000 to P60,000.

Upon arrival in Laos, however, they were forced to work as “love scammers.”