BI warns Filipinos vs ‘backdoor’ exits amid trafficking risks

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Monday warned Filipinos against using illegal “backdoor” exit schemes, citing the heightened risk of human trafficking and exploitation following the continued repatriation of victims.

The warning comes after the BI’s Immigration Protection and Border Enforcement Section (I-PROBES) reported the return of a 24-year-old Filipina who arrived on 23 March at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 via a Hong Kong–Philippines flight from Cambodia.

According to the report, the victim initially left the country on May 31 last year through an unauthorized route, traveling by boat from Tawi-Tawi. She passed through Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, and Kuala Lumpur before reaching Phnom Penh and Bavet in Cambodia.

The victim said she was recruited online through the messaging app Telegram for a supposed receptionist job in Myanmar, with a promised salary of $900 to $1,200 per month. Instead, she was coerced into working as a “love scam” operator for two months and later sold to another company, where she was again forced to engage in fraudulent activities.

She also disclosed traveling with several unidentified Filipino companions who similarly exited the country through illegal routes en route to Myanmar.

Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado reiterated the agency’s warning, stressing the dangers posed by trafficking syndicates.

“The continued repatriation of victims highlights the dangers of these schemes. Many of those who leave through illegal routes end up in exploitative conditions,” Viado said.

“Unauthorized departures such as these heighten the risk of abuse and restrict access to protection mechanisms overseas,” he added.

The BI emphasized that individuals who leave the country through unauthorized means are more vulnerable to exploitation, as they are deprived of legal safeguards and access to government assistance while abroad.

Viado said the BI continues to coordinate closely with partner institutions to strengthen border control measures and intensify efforts against human trafficking and illegal recruitment.