Zamboanga city: Authorities rescued 38 individuals, including four minors, and arrested three suspected illegal recruiters in an anti-human trafficking operation on Friday. The Zamboanga City Maritime Police Station reported Saturday that the victims were rescued around 9:30 p.m. aboard the wooden-hulled ferry ML J-Sayang, docked at a private wharf in Barangay Baliwasan.

According to Philippines News Agency, the vessel was reportedly bound for Taganak Island (Turtle Islands). During the operation, three suspected recruiters were apprehended while attempting to blend in with the victims, a tactic employed by trafficking syndicates.

The inter-agency Zamboanga City Sea-Based Anti-Trafficking Task Force (ZCSBATTF) stated that the victims, many of whom were lured by false promises of jobs in China and Malaysia, have been previously intercepted by immigration authorities. However, they were subsequently rerouted through clandestine channels, highlighting the challenges faced in combating human trafficking.

The ZCSBATTF mentioned that an investigation is ongoing to determine those possibly behind the illegal activity. Those rescued were brought to the Processing Center for Displaced Persons of the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Barangay Mampang.