The Bureau of Immigration (BI) said Wednesday that it has relieved several immigration personnel at Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) following allegations they assisted Filipinos in traveling to Myanmar via Thailand.
BI commissioner Atty. Joel Viado made the announcement during the arrival of repatriated Myanmar trafficking victims at NAIA Terminal 1, saying that reports indicated that some of the repatriated Filipinos claimed they received assistance from seven immigration officers.
“There were specific names mentioned, so we issued show-cause orders and immediately relieved them of their duties at the airport,” Viado said in an interview.
While the exact amount of money the officers allegedly received was not disclosed, Viado stressed that any form of assistance in irregular departures is a “red flag.” He added that there were reportedly 15 individuals assisted by these officials.
“These are just allegations for now, but we still need to verify the exact number,” said Viado, adding the importance of balancing an individual’s right to travel with the state’s need to monitor departures to prevent trafficking.
He said additional training for immigration officers is crucial to help them distinguish legitimate travelers from potential trafficking victims and cited a recently launched project with the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) and the Department of Justice (DoJ) that provided seminars on travelers’ rights and anti-trafficking laws.
Meanwhile, IACAT Undersecretary Nicholas Felix Ty said most trafficking victims leave the country through “backdoor” routes, often using inter-island travel from areas like Zamboanga to Tawi-Tawi, eventually reaching Southeast Asian destinations.
Ty also cited another common route involves traveling to Southeast Asian countries via third-party nations, with some individuals using legal documents to reach the Middle East before proceeding to their final destinations.
The BI and other government agencies are set to conduct further investigation with the 176 Filipino trafficking victims repatriated from Myanmar’s scam hubs.
The relief of the seven personnel, who were stationed at NAIA Terminals 1 and 3, aligns with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s goal of strengthening border security and combating corruption, according to Viado. If proven guilty of assisting the trafficking victims, the personnel will face charges from the DoJ.