Bureau of Immigration intercepts three Filipinos recruited for Eastern Europe military roles

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) intercepted three Filipino men at Davao International Airport who were allegedly recruited to serve as soldiers or border guards in Eastern Europe. The individuals, identified by the aliases Johnny (25), Berting (51), and Tappy (50), initially claimed they were traveling to Thailand to participate in or coach a Muay Thai tournament.

Upon further questioning by the Immigration Protection and Border Enforcement Section (I-PROBES), the men admitted that Thailand was merely a stopover and their true destination was Eastern Europe. They reported being promised monthly salaries of P200,000. The recruitment was reportedly facilitated by two individuals known as “Alexander” and “Oleg” via Facebook and Telegram, who allegedly covered the travel costs and promised to provide European electronic visas once the men reached Thailand.

The passengers were turned over to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) for investigation. BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado warned the public to remain vigilant against overseas job offers featuring unusually high pay, vague terms, or irregular travel routes, particularly for high-risk sectors.