Immigration authorities intercepted and rescued a Filipina passenger at the airport who was allegedly being trafficked for an illegal surrogacy scheme abroad, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said Saturday.

The 31-year-old woman was stopped at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 before boarding a Philippine Airlines flight bound for Hong Kong.

She initially claimed she was a returning overseas Filipino worker set to work as a domestic helper.

However, officers from the BI’s Immigration Protection and Border Enforcement Section uncovered inconsistencies in her travel plans.

Records showed she was scheduled to travel from Hong Kong to Beijing, China, and eventually to Tbilisi, Georgia, where she was to work as a gestational surrogate.

During questioning, the woman admitted she had been recruited through Facebook Messenger by a female agent who promised her a payment of P490,000 after giving birth.