ZAMBOANGA CITY (November 28) — Authorities rescued three women believed to be potential victims of human trafficking and arrested one of their alleged facilitators in Tawi-Tawi, police reported Thursday, November 27.
The 1st Special Operations Unit–Maritime Group (1SOU-MG) identified the victims only by their aliases — Ana, Mari, and Sher — in line with protocols to protect their identities.
The three were intercepted around 3 p.m. on Monday, November 24, at Sanga-Sanga Airport in Bongao. Initial investigation showed they were set to be smuggled out of the country via a backdoor route, allegedly with the help of two facilitators known as “Jim” and “Sali.”
In a follow-up operation at 4:40 p.m. on Tuesday, November 25, operatives arrested Jim at the Bongao port through coordinated intelligence work. Sali remains at large, and a manhunt has been launched for his capture.
The Maritime Group said the rescue underscores the government’s continuing efforts to disrupt trafficking networks operating in the country’s southern backdoor and to protect vulnerable Filipinos from exploitation.
“We remain ready and determined to ensure the safety of every Filipino and secure the country’s maritime borders,” the PNP-Maritime Group said.
