2 potential human trafficking victims rescued in Tawi-Tawi

LAWMEN have rescued two potential victims of human trafficking, including a child, in the province of Tawi-Tawi, the police said Monday, June 2, 2025.

The 1st Special Operations unit (1SOU) of the Maritime Group withheld the identities of the two rescued potential victims except in saying they include a 26-year-old woman and his eight-year-old son from Laguna.

The 1SOU said they were rescued around 3 p.m. Friday, May 30, at the port of Bongao, the capital town of Tawi-Tawi.

The 1SOU, in coordination with the military and other government agencies, launched the rescue operation after receiving information from a concerned citizen about the suspicious travel of two passengers from Metro Manila to Bongao via Zamboanga City.

“It appears that they have traveled to Tawi-Tawi and planned to cross to Malaysia using an unauthorized route or so-called backdoor channel,” the 1SOU said in a statement.

The police said the two were not carrying proper documents, and there was information that someone from another country was supporting their journey — a reason to consider them potential victims of trafficking in persons (TIP), in accordance with existing anti-trafficking protocols.

The two rescued potential TIP were subjected to the appropriate documentation and turned over to the Ministry of Social Services and Development (MSSD) to provide necessary assistance.

The 1SOU said investigations are ongoing to determine the full plan for their travel and to hold accountable the individuals who may be behind the illegal activity. (SunStar Zamboanga)