BI rescues 3 trafficking victims at Davao Airport

Three Filipino women, victims of human trafficking and recruited to work as entertainers in Singapore, were rescued by Bureau of Immigration officers at Davao International Airport on Tuesday.

Two of the victims are 20 and 18 years old; two traveled from Luzon to Davao for the trip.

While attempting to board a Scoot Airlines flight to Singapore, they were stopped by BI front-line officers who verified their claims as false recruitment under debt bondage involving promises of work as entertainers but later forced into sex trade.

BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado stated that this case involves unfair arrangements where women are promised work as entertainers but later forced into the sex trade.

One victim reported being introduced by a neighbor in Davao to a Manila-based contact who facilitated their travel without requiring payment, but deducted SGD5,000 (approximately P221,846.50) from their salaries.

The victims were handed over to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking for further action, and authorities are investigating two possible recruiters as well as the potential involvement of two immigration personnel.