Airport authorities foiled the attempt of 69 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to leave the country illegally when they uncovered that the passengers were presented as VIPs to avoid going through normal clearance procedures at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

In view of this, the airport management is set to implement stricter requirements for passengers of chartered flights.

Airport General Manager Melvin Matibag on Monday disclosed that the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Task Force Against Trafficking in Persons (NAIA-TFATP) stopped the attempt of Nationwide Aviation Support Services (Nasser Aviation), a manning agency, to have the 69 contract workers leave the country without properly undergoing Immigration, Customs and Quarantine (CIQ) procedures at the premiere airport last Sunday.

Earlier that day, agents of the TFATP chanced upon two liaison officers of Nasser Aviation inside the NAIA Terminal 1 in possession of several travel documents without the presence of the passengers.

When questioned, the two liaison officers said they were there to facilitate the exit clearances of the passengers with the Bureau of Immigration.

A close inspection by the task force, however, showed that the supposed passengers aboard the chartered flight were all contract workers, thus they are required to be physically present during the CIQ clearing to make sure that all of them have been allowed by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) to work abroad.

It was learned that Nasser Aviation reportedly made the coordination and request with the office of NAIA Assistant General Manager for Emergency and Security Services Angel Atutubo for clearance in providing onsite CIQ for the passengers of the chartered flight. However, the ground handlers reportedly failed to declare with the office of Atutubo that the passengers onboard the chartered flight are contract workers

Upon learning of the incident, Matibag rushed to the airport at 3 a.m. to personally make sure that all the passengers underwent normal CIQ procedures.

Matibag also ordered the two liaison officers to bring all of the 69 passengers inside the terminal and have them check-in personally.

During check-in procedures, the task force agents found irregularities in the documents of six of the 69 workers. Matibag explained that the job contracts did not match the job positions stated in the Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC) issued by the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency forcing them to deny them boarding on the flight.

The six contract workers prevented from leaving were identified as Arcadio Maala, James Vino, Andres Pedro Jr., Mervin Biscocho, Rodello Panganiban, and Leandro Mendoza Clarin Jr.

“We will not condone attempts to circumvent regular arrival and departure procedures even with representation by concessionaires,” Matibag said.

“This is in violation of internationally accepted standards of passenger facilitation. We will make sure that all concessionaires will be informed on our policies on chartered flights to prevent any similar incidents,” Matibag added.