BUREAU of Immigration (BI) officers at Clark International Airport (CIA) on All Souls’ Day intercepted a female trafficking victim instructed to pose as a babysitter traveling with her employer.

The 29-year-old victim whose identity remains confidential, in compliance with the Anti-Trafficking Laws, attempted to depart for Malaysia via a Cebu Pacific Airlines flight with a married couple and their child.

She claimed that the couple were her employers, and she is working as a nanny for their three-month old daughter. However, immigration officers noted numerous inconsistencies in their statements, prompting a secondary inspection.

“The trafficker and the victim provided differing answers regarding basic details about their relationship, leading to highly conflicting responses,” said BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado.

The victim eventually admitted that she actually met her recruiter, her female companion, via Facebook, where she was offered a surrogacy opportunity in Malaysia.

Further investigation revealed that the recruiter was supposed to arrange the departure of three passengers that day, all headed to Malaysia to become gestational surrogates, but only one pushed through.

The victim allegedly inquired online about becoming a surrogate mother in Malaysia via IVF.

She stated that she did not want to continue being a surrogate mother, and wishes to apply to be a nanny instead.

“It appears that the trafficker aimed to obscure the illegal surrogacy by implementing the ‘Bitbit’ scheme, creating the illusion of a close relationship with the victim to facilitate her departure,” said Viado.

“It’s disappointing to hear that this trafficker even used her family to conceal the scheme,” he added.

The victim was referred to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) for assistance, while the trafficker may face charges for violating the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2022.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Jun I. Legaspi