BI port operations chief Grifton Medina said the “trafficking victims” were about to board their flight to Saudi Arabia when they were intercepted at NAIA Terminal 1 last November 30. “Our primary inspectors initially encountered two of their companions who happen to have been previously barred from leaving on suspicion of being trafficking victims,” Medina said in a statement. Timotea Barizo said the November 30 rescue of the 34 women is considered as one of the biggest interceptions of suspected trafficking victims by BI-NAIA personnel in recent years. According to Barizo, the job descriptions in the visa and overseas employment certificates (OEC) of the 34 women did not match. ADVERTISEMENTAll 34 women were later turned over to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) for assistance and further investigation.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer December 05, 2019 05:55 UTC