FOUR Filipino women’s dream of landing lucrative jobs in China virtually turned into a nightmare as Immigration agents disallowed them from leaving on suspicions that they were victims of human trafficking.
The women, whose names were withheld in accordance with anti-trafficking laws, were intercepted at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 after presenting themselves as tourists bound for Hong Kong.
According to the women, they were recruited by a Taiwanese woman they met online who promised them jobs as waitresses in China.
Further interrogation found out that the victims were instructed to pose as tourists and are supposed to receive their visas for China upon arrival in Hong Kong, where they would then proceed to work illegally.
Meanwhile, an Indian national was also prevented by the Immigration from leaving the country for failure to pay fines and penalties for being an overstaying foreigner.
The Indian, identified Jasbir Singh, was intercepted at the boarding gate of the Clark International Airport (CIA) before he could board his flight to Singapore.