The Bureau of Immigration (BI) rescued two male passengers at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 after they were allegedly about to be trafficked for illegal employment in Russia.

According to the BI, the two men, aged 48 and 52, were intercepted on January 2 while attempting to board a Cathay Pacific flight bound for Hong Kong. They initially claimed they were traveling for tourism, but immigration officers flagged them after noting inconsistencies in their statements.

The BI said it had received prior intelligence from the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) regarding a group of individuals allegedly being trafficked to Russia for work. During secondary inspection, the passengers admitted they were recruited to work in Russia and were instructed to wait in Hong Kong for their tickets and visas.

Moreover, the two men said they were recruited through social media by an individual who assured them their documents were legal and promised them a monthly salary of ₱100,000 to ₱150,000.

BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado warned the public against such schemes, saying that being instructed to pose as tourists or conceal their true travel purpose is a clear sign of trafficking.

“It is never legal if you are instructed to pretend to be a tourist, hide your true destination, or wait for documents to be sent while already abroad. These are clear red flags of trafficking and exploitation,” Viado said.

The BI reiterated that legitimate overseas employment requires proper documentation and transparent processing through authorized government channels. The agency said it continues to coordinate with IACAT and other law enforcement agencies to prevent human trafficking.

The rescued passengers were referred to IACAT for assistance and for the filing of cases against their recruiters.