JUSTICE Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla yesterday appealed to the public, particularly departing airline passengers, to understand the possible delays and offloading they may experience due to the government’s stringent measures against human trafficking.

Remulla emphasized the need to protect individuals who could potentially become victims of trafficking and modern-day slavery, which falls under the jurisdiction of immigration authorities.

He advised passengers to arrive at the airport earlier to ensure that their documents are in order and to avoid being offloaded from their flights.

According to the Bureau of Immigration (BI), over 6,000 passengers were offloaded from their flights in the first two months of 2023 as part of the country’s ongoing efforts to combat human trafficking.

The BI clarified that these passengers might have exhibited certain red flags, leading immigration officers to deny them boarding.

These red flags include possessing fraudulent documents, providing inconsistent information about their destination, or displaying suspicious behavior during the immigration process.

The 1987 Constitution guarantees Filipinos the liberty of travel, which shall not be impaired except in the interest of national security, public safety, or public health, as may be provided by law.

The provision covers the right to travel both within and out of the country.

However, Republic Act (RA) No. 9208, or the Anti-Trafficking In Persons Act of 2003 allows the BI to set guidelines to curb human trafficking cases.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Hector Lawas