The Philippine Bureau of Immigration announced that three Filipino citizens were intercepted on January 20 at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3, preventing them from falling into a human trafficking trap.
The three victims, aged 27, 25, and 42, were about to travel to Vietnam with a so-called "employer" who claimed it was an employee reward trip. However, upon questioning, the victims revealed they were actually lured to Bulgaria for illegal labor.
The victims stated that they were originally promised a "free trip to Vietnam," but the actual plan was to send them to Bulgaria for illegal work without any legal documents.
Immigration Commissioner Joel Villanueva stated: "The tactic of criminals promising no upfront fees often traps victims in debt bondage, as their passports and wages are usually withheld. This form of wage deduction is essentially debt bondage, a form of human trafficking."
The three victims have now been rescued and transferred to the Philippine Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking for assistance. The traffickers involved may face charges under the 2022 Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act.
