Dubai: Philippine immigration officials have intercepted three Filipino men allegedly recruited for military and border guard jobs in Eastern Europe after finding inconsistencies in their travel plans before their scheduled departure from Davao International Airport on October 17.
The men, aged 25, 50 and 51, initially told immigration officers they were travelling to Thailand to participate in or coach a Muay Thai tournament. Further questioning reportedly revealed that they intended to travel to Eastern Europe, where they had allegedly been promised monthly salaries of ₱200,000 ($3130).
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The Bureau of Immigration (BI) said its Immigration Protection and Border Enforcement Section (I-PROBES) at Davao airport reported the case to Commissioner Joel Anthony M. Viado after the men’s declared travel purpose did not match their alleged intended destination and employment.
The men, identified by the aliases “Johnny”, “Berting” and “Tappy”, said individuals identified as “Alexander” and “Oleg” had sponsored their travel expenses and arranged their recruitment.
Some of the men reportedly said they had encountered the recruiters through Facebook and Telegram. They also claimed they had been told that their European electronic visas would be provided while they were in Thailand.
One of the men disclosed that they had initially been instructed on October 13 to leave through what was described as a “backdoor” route in Zamboanga. The plan was later changed to air travel through Davao, according to the BI.
The three men were turned over to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) at Davao International Airport for further investigation into their recruitment and intended overseas employment.
BI warns against suspicious job offers
Viado urged Filipinos to verify overseas job offers, particularly those involving unusually high salaries, unclear employment arrangements or questionable travel plans.
“Before accepting any overseas job offer, they should verify the legitimacy of the employer and recruitment agency with the Department of Migrant Workers,” Viado said.
The BI said the interception was part of government efforts to prevent illegal recruitment and potential human trafficking, in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive.
The agency said it would continue working with partner agencies to identify suspicious travel arrangements and protect Filipinos from possible exploitation.