27 VIETNAMESE NATIONALS VICTIMIZED BY HUMAN TRAFFICKING RING SENT BACK TO VIETNAM

TWENTY-SEVEN Vietnamese nationals who were victims of human trafficking were sent back to their home country, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said Thursday.

According to BI, the human traffickers reportedly intended to sell the victims to a company based in Cebu City.

Based on the report to the BI, the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Task Force Against Trafficking (NAIA-TFAT) referred the victims to the IACAT-Tahanan ng Inyong Pag-asa Center, following their interception at NAIA Terminal 2 last Oct. 31.

BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco said the victims were accompanied by one Chinese handler, two Filipino drivers, and one Filipino translator.

Of the 27 victims, 21 departed for Hanoi via a Cebu Pacific flight, while the remaining six departed for Ho Chi Minh City via a Philippine Airlines flight.

In response to this incident, the BI has cancelled the working visas of the victims involved.

Tansingco then expressed his dismay towards foreign nationals who exploit the Philippines as a hub for their trafficking activities.

“We will not be a haven for those seeking to perpetuate such criminal acts,” he said.

“The BI stands firm in its commitment to dismantle trafficking networks and safeguard the welfare of those vulnerable individuals,” the BI chief added.

Seven more Vietnamese nationals remain in the country awaiting their repatriation.