THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) warned the public against deceitful recruitment practices promising lucrative jobs in Lebanon, as these practices still persist despite anti-trafficking efforts.
Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansincgo issued a warning upon learning the recent interception of one Filipino woman at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 last Friday, June 21.
In a report to BI Commissioner Tansingco, the BI’s immigration protection and border enforcement section (I-PROBES) said the female victim, 57-years-old, was stopped from leaving the country before she could board a Philippines Airlines Flight to Thailand.
I-PROBES personnel, who conducted the interview with the woman, stated that initially she claimed to be a traveling tourist to visit a relative in Thailand, but later admitted that her true destination is Lebanon.
She eventually confessed that travel documents they presented were counterfeit, provided solely by the recruiter whom she had only communicated with via Facebook Messenger.
She admitted that the recruiter had instructed her to present herself as a tourist to mislead immigration officers during interviews.
Investigations revealed that the female victim had previously worked as an OFW in Lebanon and wanted to return to work using illegal means.
The victim was turned over to the IACAT for further investigation and filing of cases
against her recruiter.
“We urges Filipinos to refrain from accepting job offers in Lebanon due to heightened risks to their safety and well-being,” said BI Commissioner Tansingco. “Do not engage in employment opportunities in Lebanon, as they pose risks of exposure to unsafe conditions. Your safety is more important,” he added.
The Philippine government has been conducting a series of repatriations of Filipino nationals in Lebanon. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) earlier reported a total of 273 distressed Filipino nationals repatriated since the Philippine government raised Alert level 3 in the said country in 2023.
