The Bureau of Immigration (BI) said they have begun their investigation of immigration officers who were allegedly involved in the departure of 44 Filipinas trafficked to Syria.
This was revealed by BI Commissioner Jaime Morente at the hearing of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality on Tuesday.
“I have ordered the immediate creation of a fact-finding committee to find out how these victims were able to depart the Philippines,” Morente said.
The BI expressed its commitment to assist the Senate Committee in investigating those involved in the scheme.
“I am at a loss for words from what I heard. Ako, sa totoo lamang, ay nahihiya [Honestly, I am embarrassed]. I am disappointed and frustrated about the alleged involvement of BI personnel in these nefarious activities,” Morente added.
He said at least 28 immigration officers are being investigated for their alleged involvement in the scheme.
“As already proven in the past, we will not hesitate to make them face the harshest penalties,” he said, adding that “this scheme has grown with people from many sectors involved. We hope that through this investigation, we can finally be rid of this by pulling it from its roots.”
The BI has requested the help of the Department of Justice in investigating and prosecuting those involved.
Morente also disclosed that from 2017 to 2020, a total of 112,033 Filipinos were prevented from leaving the country for attempting to leave with improper documents.
In the same period, 1,070 victims were referred to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) for being possible victims of trafficking in persons.
Morente also said the Philippines has consistently retained its Tier 1 ranking for the fifth year in a row, in the U.S. State Department’s Trafficking in Persons Report.
A Tier 1 rating means the Philippines has continually demonstrated serious and sustained efforts to combat the crime, making the country the forerunner in the Southeast Asian region when it comes to efforts against human trafficking. – Kenneth Paciente
