MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has caught eight illegal recruitment victims in the Zamboanga International Seaport.

According to BI, the eight workers attempted to board a ship bound for Malaysia on November 13.

Initially, the workers said that they were tourists who had various reasons such as traveling, purchasing machinery, and visiting relatives. However, after inspection, they admitted that they were planning employment in a shipyard and an engineering firm in Kuala Lumpur.

BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco told those who wanted to find work overseas to only consult with authorized agencies.

“Aspiring workers abroad must obtain the necessary clearances and approvals from relevant government agencies, […] This includes verification of your employment contract, validation of your job offer, and securing overseas employment certificates from the Department of Migrant Workers,” he said.

The eight workers were turned over to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) for further investigation.

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