A 22-YEAR-OLD woman who was suspected to be a victim of a mail-order bride scheme was intercepted by Bureau of Immigration (BI) officers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), preventing her from boarding a flight to Shanghai, China on January 14.

The victim, who initially claimed she was traveling to visit her Chinese husband, drew the attention of BI’s Immigration Protection and Border Enforcement Section (I-PROBES) due to inconsistencies in her story and the documents she presented.

When questioned, the woman said she had married her alleged husband after a three-year relationship, but her answers regarding the details of the marriage were conflicting.

Upon further interrogation, the victim admitted that she met the man on a dating app in late November 2023.

They reportedly met in person the following day and married two days later.

In exchange for the marriage, she received a P50,000 monetary allowance meant for her family.

The victim also revealed that her supposed husband had asked if she received commissions for referring other Filipinas, to which she denied involvement.

BI officers pointed out that social media platforms have become common tools for the rapid recruitment of women into such exploitative schemes, where victims are coerced into performing domestic labor without pay under the pretense of being “married.”

In a statement released on their Facebook page, BI spokesperson Dana Viado emphasized the growing role of social media in facilitating these illegal activities.

"Social media makes recruitment for this scheme quick," he said, highlighting the vulnerability of women trapped in these pseudo-marriages.

The victim was turned over to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACT) for further investigation and possible legal actions.(CMM)

• Tags
• #Mail-order Bride
• #Bureau of Immigration
• #Ninoy Aquino International Airport
• #Shanghai China
• #Immigration Protection and Border Enforcement Section