Dennis Gasgonia

Article (news)

Lyza Aquino

ABS-CBN News

MANILA — Immigration authorities intercepted a 21-year-old woman believed to be a victim of a mail-order bride scheme at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), preventing her from leaving the country, on March 10.Officers from the Immigration Protection and Border Enforcement Section said the woman was intercepted at NAIA Terminal 3. She had been scheduled to board a flight to Guangzhou, China.According to initial reports from the Bureau of Immigration, the passenger initially claimed she was traveling to China to study the language and presented documents indicating enrollment at a public vocational engineering college in Guangdong province.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2026/3/13/dmw-53-human-trafficking-victims-repatriated-from-cambodia-1051">DMW: 53 human trafficking victims repatriated from Cambodia</a></div>However, officers flagged inconsistencies in her statements and supporting papers during routine questioning. Upon further interview, the woman admitted that she was not actually enrolled in any school.Instead, she admitted that a recruiter had arranged her marriage to an unidentified individual in China.She also disclosed that she was promised P50,000 in exchange for the marriage but admitted that she does not know where and who she would be married to.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/5/190-filipino-trafficking-victims-return-home-from-cambodia-0812">190 Filipino trafficking victims return home from Cambodia</a></div>Authorities later discovered that the victim’s mother may have been involved in facilitating the arrangement, as the money will be directly deposited to her after thewedding.The woman has since been turned over to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) for further investigation and assistance.Meanwhile, law enforcement agencies are working to identify and locate the recruiter responsible, with plans to file appropriate charges.Officials continue to warn the public against schemes involving illegal recruitment and trafficking disguised as overseas opportunities.

Immigration authorities intercepted a 21-year-old woman believed to be a victim of a mail-order bride scheme at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), preventing her from leaving the country, on March 10.

Immigration authorities intercepted a 21-year-old woman believed to be a victim of a mail-order bride scheme at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), preventing her from leaving the country, on March 10.

Woman rescued from suspected mail-order bride scheme at NAIA

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Woman rescued from suspected mail-order bride scheme at NAIA

Lyza Aquino,

ABS-CBN News

Published March 18, 2026 10:06 PM PHT

Read More:

Bureau of Immmigration

Mail-order bride

NAIA

human trafficking

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