DAVAO CITY — Four women recruited as food servers in China were intercepted by the personnel of the Bureau of Immigration on Sunday.
The Immigration press stated that the women victims of human trafficking, presented themselves as tourists bound for Hongkong but in the course of the investigation they admitted they were lured by a Taiwanese woman whom they met through the WeChat App to work as food servers in China.
The women revealed that they were instructed to pose as tourists and that their visa to China would be issued in Hong Kong.
Upon reaching China, the women said they knew they would work without a permit or illegally.
“These women were deceived into agreeing to the scheme to work abroad,” stated BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco. “But in reality, they were being trafficked for exploitation and illegal employment.”
The women, whose identities are withheld under anti-trafficking laws, were apprehended at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
According to the victims, they were lured into the scheme by a Taiwanese woman they met through WeChat. This individual promised them lucrative jobs as waitresses in China.
Investigations revealed that the victims were instructed to pose as tourists and were supposed to receive their visas for China upon arrival in Hong Kong, where they would then proceed to work illegally.
“These women were deceived into agreeing to the scheme to work abroad,” stated BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco. “But in reality, they were being trafficked for exploitation and illegal employment.”
“Human trafficking is a heinous crime that preys on the most vulnerable members of society. We will continue to work tirelessly to thwart these criminal activities and bring the perpetrators to justice,” Tansingco added.
The victims were turned over to the inter-agency council against trafficking for assistance, while the recruiter has been recommended for blacklisting
