MANILA — Immigration officers at Ninoy Aquino International Airport stopped a 21-year-old woman suspected of being a victim of a mail-order bride scheme before she could depart for China, the Bureau of Immigration said

The passenger was intercepted at NAIA Terminal 3 on March 10 while attempting to board a Cebu Pacific flight to Guangzhou. She initially claimed she was traveling to pursue language studies at a public higher vocational engineering college in Guangdong province.

However, officers from the Immigration Protection and Border Enforcement Section (I-PROBES) noted discrepancies between her statements and the documents she presented. The woman later admitted that she was not enrolled in any school and that her trip was arranged by an agent for a marriage with an unidentified individual. She also revealed that she would receive PHP50,000 following the marriage.

“This attempt exposes how traffickers use fraudulent study programs abroad as a cover for their illegal activities,” Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said.

The woman was turned over to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking for further investigation and possible filing of charges. Authorities reiterated that officers at all ports of entry and exit remain vigilant against schemes that put Filipinos at risk of exploitation.