BUREAU of Immigration (BI) officers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 on Tuesday stopped a female traveler for presenting a passport with a fake departure stamp.
The interception is part of the BI’s efforts to combat human trafficking, in line with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s commitment to protect workers from exploitation.
BI immigration protection and border enforcement section (I-PROBES) Chief Mary Jane Hizon shared that the 37-year-old victim presented herself as a tourist bound for the Netherlands.
However, upon presenting her passport for inspection, officers noted the suspicious immigration clearance stamp on her passport.
Upon verification with the BI’s forensic documents laboratory, they confirmed that the said stamp was indeed counterfeit.
The woman alleged that she sought the services of a fixer she met at the lobby of NAIA 3, who offered her immigration assistance.
She said that the fixer asked her to submit her passport and meet another colleague who was wearing a white shirt and a face mask. The fixer then returned the victim’s passport and asked her to wait at the entrance for the supposed escort.
She lamented that she was made to wait for 45 minutes but no one approached her.
BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado warned victims not to fall for offers of said fixers.
“These fixers will promise quick processing by circumventing laws,” said Viado. “If you want to work abroad, do so legally and do not be enticed by these offers,” he warned.
The victim was turned over to the inter-agency council against trafficking for assistance.
