Eight potential human trafficking victims rescued

Authorities have rescued eight potential victims of human trafficking in Tawi-Tawi province, police announced Saturday (June 1).

The Police Regional Office of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRO-BAR) said the potential victims were rescued around 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 30, at the port in Bongao, the capital of Tawi-Tawi.

PRO-BAR has not released the identities of the potential victims, except to say they are all men.

Police said the victims were rescued following a tip-off from a concerned citizen about a group of unidentified people traveling on a passenger ship from Jolo, Sulu.

Police said they were supposed to travel to Semporna, Malaysia, but they failed to present any legal travel documents.

The rescued potential victims were handed over to the Municipal Inter-Agency Committee Against Trafficking (Miacat) and the Ministry of Social Services and Development for further assessment and support.

The potential victims were rescued by joint personnel of the Police, Philippine Coast Guard, Miacat and the National Intelligence Coordination Agency.

Police Brigadier General Prexy Tanggawohn, acting director of PRO-BAR, praised the officers' diligence and collaboration with other authorities in the fight against human trafficking. (SunStar Zamboanga)