Seven Bureau of Immigration (BI) personnel at NAIA Terminals 1 and 3 have been removed from their posts after being implicated in the alleged illegal deportation of Filipino victims of human trafficking in Myanmar.
According to the BI, if they are proven to be involved in the incident, they will be charged with the Department of Justice (DOJ).
The victims were rescued from scam syndicates in Myanmar and arrived in the Philippines on March 25 aboard Philippine Airlines from Bangkok, Thailand.
BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado acknowledged that it is a challenge for immigration officers to identify trafficking victims, especially those who appear to be legit tourists. He said the syndicate is adjusting by recruiting those with clean travel records.
In 2024, 1,093 trafficking victims were intercepted by the BI and turned over to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT).
Viado also warns that there are backdoor routes that traffickers are using to evade tighter border security.
Meanwhile, it was previously reported that three trafficking victims from Cambodia were returned home after being forced to work in scam hubs. Investigations revealed that they had no official departure record due to smuggling via the Jolo, Sulu–Sabah, Malaysia route.
According to Viado, government agencies need to be alert and work together to prevent human trafficking in the country.
