Manila: The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) arrested three female passengers at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) for falsifying overseas employment contracts. In a news release on Tuesday, the NBI-International Airport Investigation Division reported that the three individuals were apprehended on August 20.

According to Philippines News Agency, the women were set to fly to Hong Kong as tourists when they were intercepted by the Border Control and Intelligence Unit during routine inspections. They were found to be carrying suspected falsified Overseas Employment Contracts (OECs). The women revealed that they had been recruited via a social media platform to work in Cambodia as customer service representatives.

Further investigation revealed that an immigration officer had initially cleared the three to depart. The officer is currently at large and is being pursued by the NBI. The women have been charged with violating Article 172 of the Revised Penal Code, while the immigration officer has been charged with violations of the Cybercrime Prevention Act and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act.

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) also reported on Monday the repatriation of 24 Filipinos, including 14 females, who were rescued from scam hubs in Cambodia. They arrived at NAIA Terminal 3 in Pasay City on August 23 on a Philippine Airlines flight from Phnom Penh. These individuals were promised customer service representative positions and a monthly salary of USD1,500 (approximately PHP85,000). However, they received only USD300 (approximately PHP17,000) and were coerced into working as love scammers in catphishing syndicates targeting European men.