Government aims to curb abuse of suspected human trafficking victims

Manila: Amid complaints from legitimate overseas Filipino workers, the government said it will be strictly implementing measures to curb abuses of a policy where suspected victims of human trafficking are "offloaded" from their international flights.

Vice President Jejomar Binay, said that while the immigration bureau policy that allows authorities to offload passengers from international airports in the country on the basis of suspicion that they are being trafficked abroad has contributed in the drop in human trafficking cases, "it has become controversial because of the complaints of abuse of discretion and corruption."

Spurious travel documents

Under the country's Immigration Act, an immigration officer is authorised to offload a passenger if the officer thinks the traveller is using spurious travel documents, or is using a tourist visa but intends to work abroad.

"I believe there is a need for immigration bureau to have proper guidelines in the offloading of passengers. The basis for preventing a Filipino from leaving the country should be clearly spelled out to minimize the exercise of discretion on the part of immigration personnel," Binay said.

A total of 17 Filipinos were offloaded in October, with 13 persons classified as Tourist Workers, and one person classified as an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) with irregularities on documents.

Two cases of attempted human trafficking were also filed with the Department of Justice.

Decline in illegal recruitment

Binay said while the policy has contributed to a decline in the incidents of human trafficking and illegal recruitment, steps should be taken to avoid legitimate from being inconvenienced by the enforcement of this regulation.

From October last year, a total of 491 passengers were offloaded, with 30 minors and 287 tourist workers. Of the total, 171 were classified as OFWs with irregularities on their documents.

Tourist Workers are those who attempt to travel for the purpose of gaining employment abroad without proper documentation, or go to countries where the Philippines currently has a deployment or travel ban.

CCT cameras

Binay, who is chair emeritus of the Inter-Agency Committee Against Trafficking, said among the measures include the installation of Close Circuit Television cameras to monitor all immigration counters at the airports, inclusion of personnel from agencies such as the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration in the interviews of departing passengers, and providing guide questions for Bureau of Immigration personnel.

Binay likewise urged the immigration bureau to expedite hearings of corruption complaints filed against 18 immigration personnel who reportedly demanded money from departing passengers in exchange for clearance to leave the country.

"I am confident that the immigrations bureau will fast track the hearings on these complaints to emphasise to our kababayans (compatriots) that corruption will never be tolerated under the Aquino administration," he said.

Binay also urged OFWs and other passengers who have been victimised by unscrupulous immigration personnel to come out in the open and file complaints. "I appeal to our kababayans to also do their share by coming out and filing cases against these employees so they can be held accountable. As your Vice President, I assure you that these complaints will be acted upon," he said.