2 suspected illegal recruiters, 6 'human trafficking victims' intercepted at NAIA
Two suspected illegal recruiters were arrested at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) while escorting six persons believed to be human trafficking victims, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said on Friday, April 5.
In a statement, the NBI identified the suspects as Katherine May A. Paderes and Cathyrine M. Buquid. The six "victims" were not identified.
After their arrest last March 22, the two "illegal recruiters" were presented for inquest before the Pasay City Prosecutor’s Office on charges of qualified trafficking and large scale illegal recruitment.
The NBI said the two suspets and their six "victims' were intercepted before they could board their flight to Hong Kong.
It said they claimed they are church mates going to Hong Kong as tourists.
“The six (6) victims revealed that Subject Paderes, Subject Buquid, and other individuals recruited them through the agency Worldstar International Manpower Services Corporation to work in Malta,” the NBI said.
“In return, the victims paid the subjects for the recruitment process,” it added.
It pointed out that it received a verification from the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) that two of those arrested "are not authorized or licensed by the DMW to recruit workers for overseas deployment.”