ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — The Zamboanga City government has asked the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking to investigate the mass departure last week of Badjaos who headed to Manila, saying a syndicate may be behind their travel. "It is highly unusual for a very large group of Badjaos to be suddenly in an exodus from Zamboanga to Manila," Salazar said in her letter addressed to Villar. IACAT earlier this week announced that more than 200 of 303 Badjaos rescued in Manila would be sent back to Zamboanga City. Authorities said they suspected that the Badjaos were brought to Manila by a human trafficking syndicate to make them work as laborers. The group of Badjaos managed to leave Zamboanga City, which has tight restrictions on travel, and go to Manila after presenting complete travel documents.

Source: Philippine Star June 10, 2021 06:45 UTC