Three suspected human traffickers have been charged following an inquest filed by the National Bureau of Investigation–International Airport Investigation Division (NBI-IAID), the Bureau of Immigration (BI) announced on Saturday.
The case, based on sworn complaints from seven overseas Filipino victims, was filed before the Office of the City Prosecutor of Pasay on April 24, BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said in a news release.
According to the BI, the victims were lured online with promises of legitimate jobs but were instead forced into cyberscam operations in Myanmar, where they endured severe physical abuse, coercion, and psychological trauma.
The victims recounted that they were instructed to disguise themselves as overseas Filipino workers or tourists to bypass immigration scrutiny. Upon arrival, they were detained in scam compounds, beaten, electrocuted, and denied proper compensation if they failed to meet daily scam quotas. Some were deprived of rest days and suffered immense mental distress.
Despite the brutal conditions, many victims initially hesitated to testify, fearing the traffickers’ alleged influence and legal resources.
The victims were successfully repatriated on April 23 through coordinated efforts by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), and the Philippine Embassy in Cambodia.
BI Commissioner Viado emphasized that the government’s actions are in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to safeguard Filipinos from modern-day slavery and transnational crimes.
“We stand with the President in the goal of protecting every Filipino from human trafficking,” Viado said.
The BI also expressed gratitude to the Department of Justice–Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (DOJ-IACAT) for its continued support in pursuing justice against human traffickers.