THE BUREAU of Immigration (BI) on Monday raised the alarm over a new trafficking scheme where victims were made to pose as missionaries on a church trip.
In a statement, Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said agents from the Immigration Protection and Border Enforcement Section (I-PROBES) barred three women, aged 23, 25, and 50, from boarding a Scoot Airlines flight to Singapore connecting to Thailand at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 on April 1.
The three claimed to be full-time church volunteers designated for a missionary mission in Thailand. However, discrepancies in their documents raised suspicion, leading to further questioning.
Upon questioning, the two victims confessed they were not part of a missionary group but licensed teachers recruited for illegal employment at a school in Thailand. They also admitted they had been recruited by the woman they were traveling with, who claimed to be the founder and head preacher of their congregation.
Officers noted the female trafficker had recently traveled to Thailand. A check of her records showed she had previously left with another group of passengers, whom she claimed were also her church companions but had not returned to the Philippines.
“This case echoes the 'Bitbit' scheme, where a frequent traveler, acting as a courier, attempts to transport (a) group of passengers under false pretenses, while victims are unknowingly coerced into illegal work,” said Viado.
The victims were referred to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) for assistance.
Fugitives nabbed
Meanwhile, the BI also reported the arrest of a South Korean and a German national both wanted by the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) for being fugitives from justice in their respective countries.
The BI chief said the two foreigners were arrested in Angeles City, Pampanga last March 31 in separate operations conducted by operatives from the bureau’s fugitive search unit.
Arrested in his residence in Barangay Malabanias, Angeles City was German national Klaus Dieter Boekhoff, 60, wanted for involvement in internet fraud.
A warrant of arrest was reportedly issued against the foreigner by a local court in Bamberg, Germany on Dec. 5 last year due to multiple counts of fraud.
Also arrested on the same day in his home at the Timog Park Homes, Angeles City was Korean national Ryu Hoijong, 48, who is wanted by authorities in Seoul for larceny.
The foreign national and his accomplice allegedly stole in 2015 a vehicle worth 40 million won, registered it to a third party, and later illegally sold it to a buyer.
Both suspects are detained at the BI custodial facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City where they will remain until they are deported.
Once deported, they will also be placed on the immigration blacklist, effectively banning them from re-entering the country for being undesirable aliens. (Ferdinand Patinio)
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