MANILA — The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has prevented 2 women from leaving for Singapore — in what it said was a case of human sex trafficking.
The BI, in a statement on Tuesday, said the 2 women, aged 34 and 25, claimed their travel was for a vacation, and attempted to depart the Clark International Airport in Pampanga last Saturday, May 27.
But BI's verification revealed they both had active work permits in Singapore as entertainers.
According to the BI, the 2 eventually admitted that they had been "instructed to pose as tourists to conceal their actual purpose of travel."
"In many cases, these victims are made to believe that they will be working as entertainers, but many end up forced to work in sex trade," said BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco.
"This is a clear case of human trafficking," he added.
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