PERSONNEL of Coast Guard Sea Marshal Unit in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (CGSMU-Barmm) intercepted and rescued 10 victims of trafficking in persons (TIPs) in the province of Tawi-Tawi.

The Philippine Coast Guard’s Maritime Security Law Enforcement Command said in a statement Monday, February 6, that the TIP victims were rescued Saturday, February 4, at the wharf of Bongao, the capitan town of Tawi-Tawi.

The coast guard’s sea marshal initially discovered two TIP victims while conducting ticket inspection aboard a commercial ferry bound for Bongao, Tawi-Tawi.

Another eight victims were rescued aboard the same vessel after the two, while in custody of the sea marshal, revealed that there were other passengers, who like them, were TIP victims.

The TIP victims were supposed to travel to Malaysia from the town of Sitangkai in Tawi-Tawi province.

All of the rescued TIP victims were turned over to the custody of the Bongao Municipal Inter-Agency Committee Against Trafficking for proper disposition.

Their identities and point of origin were withheld for security reason. (SunStar Zamboanga)