BUREAU of Immigration (BI) officers at the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) reported the arrival of four deportees from South Korea.
The BI’s Immigration Protection and Border Enforcement Section (I-PROBES) reported to Commissioner Norman Tansingco the deportation of four females last June 19.
The victims arrived in the Philippines aboard a Jeju Air flight from South Korea, after being detained for working illegally as entertainers without the necessary work visa in that region.
According to the victims, they were deceived into a scheme by a Filipino who instructed them to meet a Korean national to handle their documents processing.
“Inalok ako ng trabaho bilang entertainer at nagbigay ng instruction na kitain ang isang Koreano upang ibigay ang kailangang requirements,” the victim described.
Investigations revealed that the victims used the mobile phone app Telegram to communicate with their recruiters, who offered them jobs as entertainers in a bar, promising a monthly salary of Php 80,000 until their 59-day tourist visas expired.
BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco explained that due to their circumstances, they exceeded their allowed stay and were consequently apprehended by Korean authorities.
“Pagdating sa Korea, two weeks kaming nagtrabaho bilang entertainer. Ang isang kasamahan naming Thailand national, na may asawang Koreano, ay nagsumbong. Pagkatapos, kami ay nadetain nang halos isang lingo,’’ one victim expressed.
“These women suffered exploitation, and they ended up detained without receiving their rightful wages, all due to deceptive assurances,” stated Tansingco.
“We remind the public to always beware, as these deceitful recruiters paint a rosy picture of hope but often leave you in despair. If something feels off or seems too good to be true, trust your instincts,” he added.
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