Metro Manila, Philippines – Immigration personnel blocked three local men from leaving Davao supposedly for a Thai boxing tournament but were later on found to have Europe as final destination supposedly for military duties.
Authorities said the three – with aliases “Johnny,” 25; “Berting,” 52; and “Tappy,” 50 – were held at the Davao International Airport on Oct. 17 ahead of their departure to Thailand for a Muay Thai competition, but after questioning revealed their plans to enter Eastern Europe with a promise of employment and ₱200,000 in salaries to “work as soldiers or military guards.”
The men said they were recruited by a certain “Alexander” and “Oleg” through social media platforms to work as “border guards” in Europe, and they initially declared participation in a Muay Thai tournament as the purpose of their trip to Thailand.
The Bureau of Immigration said its personnel found the three had plans to cross over to Europe from Thailand, and that electronic visas would be provided upon arrival.
One of the men said they were supposed to leave on Oct. 13 through a Zamboanga “backdoor.”
Johnny, Berting, and Tappy were handed over to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking for further questioning.
“Filipinos must be cautious of recruiters who promise high salaries but provide unclear employment arrangements or questionable travel plans. Before accepting any overseas job offer, they should verify the legitimacy of the employer and recruitment agency with the Department of Migrant Workers,” Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said in a press release on Monday, Oct. 26.
“We will continue working with our partner agencies to help prevent illegal recruitment and protect Filipinos from possible exploitation,” he added.
