A Japanese national and his Filipina cohort were arrested at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) for alleged involvement in human trafficking activities and large-scale illegal recruitment of Filipino factory workers to Japan.

The suspects identified as Tomita Takayuki, a Japanese national, and Maria Zenaida Callos Otani, a Filipina, were trying to sneak 13 Filipinos out of the country for a factory jobs in Japan when they were arrested by the operatives of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and NAIA Task Force Against Trafficking in an entrapment operation at the NAIA Terminal 3 last May 9, 2025.

"Investigation by authorities to the other victim-complainants revealed that the suspects recruited them using Winkbayside Manpower Services, which was later discovered as a bogus agency. They were lured to work as factory workers with a monthly salary of 120,000 yen under the Technical Intern Training Program of Japan," the DMW stated.

"Upon arriving in Japan, instead of undergoing the said program, the victims were turned-over to various employers to work in factories using fictitious identities. They also learned that their real salary reaches 200,000 Yen but they were only paid about 120,000 yen," it added.

The DMW- Migrant Workers Protection Bureau (MWPB) is calling all past victims of the suspects to come out and coordinate with their office to file charges. Robina Asido/DMS