The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) reported the interception of a female trafficking victim and two international fugitives at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 in Pasay City recently.
BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado disclosed that a 20-year-old female passenger was stopped on November 14 while attempting to leave for Nagoya, Japan, using a fraudulent Commission on Filipino Overseas (CFO) certificate.
The woman claimed she was traveling to visit her alleged Japanese husband and presented the fake certificate to meet travel requirements. However, BI officers noticed discrepancies in the document and verified its authenticity through the BI-CFO joint system, which confirmed it was fake.
“Our officers swiftly initiated a check using the BI-CFO joint system, which enabled real-time verification of the authenticity of her documents,” Viado said in a statement.
Further investigation revealed that the victim had purchased the counterfeit certificate from an online fixer for P3,000.
“This joint system has proven to be an essential tool in preventing trafficking by quickly identifying fraudulent documents. The seamless data-sharing between the BI and CFO helps us protect Filipinos from falling victim to these syndicates,” he added.
The victim was referred to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) for further investigation and the filing of charges against those involved in producing the fake certificate.
In a separate incident, the BI intercepted two foreign nationals on the international police (Interpol) list of wanted fugitives.
A South Korean national, Li Su Bin, was apprehended before boarding his flight to Seoul. He was allowed to leave after BI officials informed South Korean authorities of his impending arrival. Li was later arrested by South Korean police at Incheon Airport.
According to the BI-Interpol unit, Li was wanted in Seoul for his role in an investment scam as part of a fraud syndicate based in Laos.
The group enticed victims to invest in cryptocurrencies and stocks, with Li serving as a sales agent involved in love scam operations.
Meanwhile, a Chinese fugitive, Yao Bin, was intercepted on his Malaysia-bound flight and detained at the BI warden facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City, pending deportation proceedings.
Yao is a suspected member of a cybercrime syndicate that operated illegal gambling websites, reportedly soliciting over 260,000 Chinese customers who gambled on international sports events.
The combined bets reached over CNY2 billion (approximately USD276 million). As the group’s promotions and customer service manager, Yao earned over CNY2 million (USD276,000) in salaries and commissions.
The BI reaffirmed its commitment to combating human trafficking and apprehending fugitives, emphasizing the importance of international cooperation and robust verification systems in protecting public safety.