13 Pinoy trafficking victims in Iraq now under PHL embassy custody


The Department of Foreign Affairs said 13 Filipino human trafficking victims who were offered non-existent jobs in Dubai are now under the custody of the Philippine embassy in Iraq.
A trafficking victim detained at Basra Prison in Iraq for the last three months was finally released for deportation on April 3 while 12 others who were secured by the embassy have been staying at the Philippine diplomatic mission since January 2019, the DFA said Saturday.
The victims were initially trafficked from Dubai to Iraq from July 3 to December 22, 2018, according to their official statements. Last year, the embassy handled a total number of 17 human trafficking cases.
They are trafficked through Erbil in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and then smuggled to Baghdad or Basra.
"Since their visas from Erbil will not be valid outside of the Kurdistan Region, the victims are transferred from one car to another at least five times in one trip to avoid inspection at several security checkpoints," the DFA said.
Trafficking syndicates have been luring victims through social media by offering to advance the cost of their travel to Dubai where high-paying jobs are supposed to be waiting for them, the DFA said.
The victims enter Dubai using tourist visas and are then made to work without pay, supposedly as part of their “training.”
Once their visas are about to expire, the victims are told to accept jobs in Iraq or pay the syndicates the $3,000.00 they purportedly spent for their deployment.
"The embassy reminds Filipinos that a deployment ban remains in effect over Iraq. It also warns Filipinos who enter Iraq without visas that they face imprisonment and hefty penalties if caught," the DFA said.
Filipinos seeking work abroad were also advised to first check the job offers with the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) and comply with pre-departure procedures implemented by Philippine immigration authorities.
"These procedures are intended to ensure the safety of Filipino travelers and prevent the occurrence of illegal recruitment, people smuggling, trafficking of internal organs, and human trafficking," the department said. — MDM, GMA News

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