MANILA — The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has recently uncovered a new trafficking scheme involving the exploitation of “religion” to facilitate the illegal departure of victims and evade detection.
On Monday, BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado issued a warning to the public, especially overseas job seekers, urging them to be cautious of this new tactic employed by illegal recruiters. The warning follows an interception that took place on April 1 at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3, where three individuals were caught attempting to leave the country while pretending to be members of a missionary group.
“Trafficking syndicates have begun exploiting the guise of religious missions to smuggle their victims out of the country,” Viado stated. “These traffickers are using the cover of a missionary journey to evade airport authorities and gain passage for their victims.”
The BI’s Immigration Protection and Border Enforcement Section (I-PROBES) reported that the three women—one trafficker and her two victims—were scheduled to board a flight to Singapore, which would connect them to Thailand. The group claimed to be church volunteers on a missionary mission in Thailand, but upon closer inspection, their travel documents and story raised suspicions.
The discovery highlights the evolving methods used by human trafficking syndicates, which now utilize religious organizations as a cover to facilitate illegal travel. The BI continues to strengthen its efforts to intercept such illegal activities and protect potential victims from exploitation.
Viado emphasized that the public should remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to authorities, especially those involving overseas employment offers or religious missions that seem too good to be true.
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