MANILA — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has arrested three individuals at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 in Pasay City for presenting falsified documents and has filed charges against an immigration officer for alleged involvement in human trafficking and cybercrime.

The NBI-International Airport Investigation Division (NBI-IAID) identified the arrested passengers as Rhea Angelica Borda y Macario, Nora Tafalla y Pandi, and Baby Rhea Urbano Margarico. They were charged with violating Article 172 (Use of Falsified Document) of the Revised Penal Code.

According to the NBI, the three were bound for Hong Kong as tourists but were intercepted after presenting suspected falsified Overseas Employment Contracts. Borda and Tafalla were flagged at the boarding gates by members of the Border Control and Intelligence Unit, while Margarico was stopped during routine immigration inspection.

The passengers were initially turned over to the NAIA Task Force Against Trafficking and the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking before being handed to the NBI-IAID. They admitted being recruited through a social media platform to work in Cambodia as customer service representatives.

The NBI said Immigration Officer Mohammad Rashid Madale Alonto, who remains at large, initially cleared the passengers’ departure, as shown by stamps on their boarding passes. Based on their statements, the arrested passengers confirmed that Alonto facilitated their clearance during immigration checks.

The three arrested individuals were presented for inquest proceedings for falsification, while Alonto was charged with violations of the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003.

NBI Director Jaime Santiago commended NBI-IAID agents for their efforts that led to the arrests and the filing of charges.