NBI arrests two in NAIA for trafficking in persons

The NBI International Airport Investigation Division (NBI-IAID) arrested two (2) passengers – MARIA ZENAIDA CALLOS OTANI and TAKAYUKI TOMITA, a Japanese National, for violation of RA 8042 (Illegal Recruitment) as amended by RA 10022 and RA 9208 (Anti-Trafficking in Persons) as amended by RA 11862 (Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2022).

Subjects together with 13 other passengers bound for Nagoya, Japan who were believed to be victims of Trafficking in Persons/illegal recruitment were turned over to NBI-IAID by the NAIA-IACAT for investigation.

Investigation revealed that two of the offloaded passengers, Zenaida and Takayuki, recruited other passengers to be factory workers in Japan. Subjects convinced the passengers to pose as trainees in order to pass inspection by Immigration Officers. However, their simulated story was discovered.

In their “Sinumpaang Salaysay,” four (4) of the passengers averred that they were recruited by Zenaida, Takayuki and Wink Bayside Manpower Services “WINK” as factory workers in Japan. They were oriented to pretend as employees of WINK and were only going to Japan for training. Two (2) other passengers were given by Zenaida fabricated documents for them to pass the Immigration counter. Three (3) others also gave their statements, narrating that they were hired by WINK as Industrial Packaging workers. They were deployed as workers in Japan from 2022 to April 2025 and were supposed to return to Japan as trainees again on May 9, 2025, however, their story did not pass the BI pre-departure screening.

Certification issued by the Licensing and Regulations Bureau of the Department of Migrant Workers states that MARIA ZENAIDA CALLOS OTANI, TAKAYUKI TOMITA and Wink Bayside Manpower Services “WINK” are not authorized to recruit workers for overseas employment. Thus, Subjects were placed under arrest. They were presented for inquest proceedings before the Inquest Prosecutor of Pasay City.