MANILA — Bureau of Immigration (BI) officers at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) prevented the trafficking of six Filipinos recruited by a former POGO worker to work in a scam hub in Cambodia, officials said.

The operation aligns with President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s directive to protect Filipinos from human trafficking and illegal recruitment.

Immigration Protection and Border Enforcement Section (I-PROBES) officers intercepted seven passengers—three males and four females—at NAIA Terminal 3 on November 8 as they attempted to board a Cathay Pacific flight to Vietnam. The group initially claimed they were traveling to Ho Chi Minh City for a two-day vacation, but primary inspection officers flagged inconsistencies in their itineraries and referred them for secondary checks.

During interviews, the victims admitted they were recruited to work in Cambodia for a company believed to be linked to regional scam hubs. Three individuals were found to be involved in the recruitment process, including one who had formerly worked at a POGO company. The recruiter revealed that an Indonesian colleague paid him to escort the victims out of the country.

“We now see links between closed POGO companies in the Philippines and these scam hubs abroad,” BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said. “Some POGO companies that were shut down were masquerading as legitimate businesses but were actually involved in scam operations. Now that they have closed shop, they are recruiting Filipinos to work in scam hubs abroad.”

Viado warned the public against accepting similar offers from recruiters. Repatriated victims reported being abused, tortured, and subjected to electroshock while working for these companies.

The victims and suspects were turned over to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT), and the BI confirmed that a case has been filed against the recruiter with assistance from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) International Airport Investigation Division.