Friday Mar, 29 2024 02:23:16 PM

15 human trafficking victims rescued in Tawi-Tawi

TIMRA Reports • 12:45 PM Tue Feb 14, 2023
931
By: 
John M. Unson
 The human trafficking victims are to be returned soon to their hometowns. (From WestMinCom)

COTABATO CITY - Authorities rescued in separate operations over the weekend 15 human trafficking victims bound for Malaysia without passports, promised with good employment there by recruiters.  

Brig. Gen. John Guyguyon, director of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, and Army Lt. Gen. Roy Galido of the Western Mindanao Command separately told reporters here Tuesday that the victims are now in the custody of the social welfare office of the local government unit in Bongao municipality.

Bongao is the capital town of Tawi-Tawi, a component-province of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

The human trafficking victims, among them three children brought by mothers hoping for employment in Malaysia, were together in two small boats from Zamboanga City, the M/V Trisha Kerstin and M/V Ever Queen of Pacific.

Combined personnel of the 7th and 12th Marine Battalions, the Tawi-Tawi Provincial Police Office and the Regional Maritime Unit-BARMM intercepted the two boats while approaching Bongao from Zamboanga City.

In separate statements, the social welfare office of Bongao and the headquarters here of the Bangsamoro regional police said the 15 persons rescued, ten of them females, were promised by recruiters good paying jobs in a poultry in Papar and in an oil palm plantation in Semporna, both in Malaysia.

Two of their recruiters, initially identified only as Gina and Marvin, had reportedly assured to have their passports processed while working abroad. 

The duo is now subject of an extensive manhunt by intelligence agents of units under WestMinCom and the Police Regional Office-9.

 

UK: Bangsamoro one of world’s few successful peace processes

MANILA – The United Kingdom has hailed the creation of the Bangsamoro region as one of the world’s few successful peace processes as it joined...

Antipas LGU releases official list of victims of highway mishap

OFFICIAL list of victims of March 25, 2024 vehicular accident involving passenger van and cargo truck. The list is from the local government of...

Cotabato Light announces April 6 power service interruption

Cotabato Light announcement:  To all our valued customers, please be informed of the scheduled power interruption affecting a portion of...

BARMM has new police regional director

CAMP SK PENDATUN, Maguindanao Norte - Police Brig. Gen. Prexy Dugas Tanggawohn was installed as new police regional director for the Bangsamoro...

BARMM, Inter-Agency Teams implement OPLAN HARABAS, nets 1 conductor positive for drug use

COTABATO CITY - The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in the Bangamoro Region and police units in the city conducted on Tuesday "Oplan Harabas" in a...