The Bureau of Immigration (BI) intercepted eight suspected victims of human trafficking en route to Israel.
BI reported on Friday, April 26, that a suspected female human trafficker attempted to leave the Philippines with the victims on board an Emirates airlines flight at the Clark International Airport (CIA) Terminal 2 in the guise of a pilgrimage in Israel.
The Immigration said that the victims admitted that they will work as hospital and hotel cleaners upon their arrival in Israel with a monthly salary of Php 60,000 to Php 80,000.
One of the victims also said that their recruiter, who reportedly worked as a travel agent, promised that they will work 'in a safer part of Israel’ amidst the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
BI mentioned that Israel has been placed under Crisis Alert Level 2, and only returning overseas Filipino workers with existing employment contracts can return to the country.
BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco slammed the recruiter for putting the lives of her victims in danger.
“All for money, this recruiter has made her victims agree to such circumstances despite the major life risk,” Tansingco said in a statement.
“She should face what she did in court and must be jailed to serve as an example not to prey on the vulnerabilities of our fellow Filipinos,” he added.
BI said that the eight victims and the recruiter will undergo processing with the inter-agency council against trafficking (IACAT).
