BUREAU of Immigration (BI) officers intercepted a 22-year-old Filipina suspected of being a victim of a mail-order bride scheme on January 14, 2025.

The rescue took place at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport before she could board a Philippine Airlines flight to Shanghai, China.

A mail-order bride is a woman who solicits or accepts a contractual marriage arranged by an agency or brokerage after a period of long-distance courtship, traditionally by written correspondence.

The woman initially claimed she was visiting her Chinese husband, but BI’s Immigration Protection and Border Enforcement Section (I-Probes) noted inconsistencies in her story and documents. While she said she had been married after a three-year relationship, her answers about the marriage details did not match.

Upon further questioning, the victim admitted to meeting her alleged husband through an online app on November 21. They met in person the next day and were married two days later in exchange for a P50,000 allowance for her family.

She also revealed her husband’s inquiry about earning commissions for referring other Filipinas, which she denied.

“Social media makes recruitment for this scheme quick,” said BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado.

“In previous cases, Filipinas are trapped in these pseudo-marriages and are made to do domestic work without pay because they are ‘married’ to their foreign partners,” he added.

The victim has been turned over to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking for further investigation and possible charges against those involved in the scheme. (JGS/SunStar Philippines)