A Filipino woman was intercepted at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 last Friday, June 21, by Bureau of Immigration (BI) personnel after she attempted to leave the country so she could work illegally in Lebanon.
In relation to this, BI Commissioner Norman Tansincgo issued a warning against deceitful recruitment practices promising lucrative jobs in Lebanon, as these practices still persist despite anti-trafficking efforts.
“We urge Filipinos to refrain from accepting job offers in Lebanon due to heightened risks to their safety and well-being. Do not engage in employment opportunities in Lebanon, as they pose risks of exposure to unsafe conditions. Your safety is more important,” Tansingco stressed.
The Philippine government has been conducting a series of repatriations of Filipino nationals in Lebanon. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) earlier reported a total of 273 distressed Filipino nationals repatriated since the Philippine government raised Alert level 3 in the said country in 2023, he added.
The BI’s immigration protection and border enforcement section (I-PROBES) headed by Bienvenido Castsillo III said the female victim, 57, was stopped from leaving the country before she could board a Philippines Airlines Flight to Thailand.
I-PROBES personnel who conducted the interview with the woman stated that initially, she claimed to be a traveling tourist to visit a relative in Thailand, but later admitted that her true destination is Lebanon.
Castillo said she eventually confessed that travel documents they presented were counterfeit, provided solely by the recruiter whom she had only communicated with via Facebook Messenger and also admitted that the recruiter had instructed her to present herself as a tourist to mislead immigration officers during interviews.
Investigations revealed that the female victim had previously worked as an OFW in Lebanon and wanted to return to work using illegal means. Said victim was turned over to the IACAT for further investigation and filing of cases against her recruiter.
