The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Thursday confirmed the arrival of seven Filipino victims of human trafficking who were rescued from forced labor scam hubs operating in Myanmar.
The repatriates, consisting of four women and three men, all aged in their 20s and 30s, arrived on a Philippine Airlines flight from Bangkok, Thailand, on Tuesday. They were immediately assisted by the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Task Force on Anti-Trafficking
(NAIA-FAT).
According to the BI, six of the victims left the country using an illegal migration “backdoor” corridor, while one posed as a tourist bound for Thailand. Their accounts detail deceptive recruitment methods and brutal working conditions abroad.
One female victim recounted being recruited via a Facebook job advertisement for encoding work in Thailand, with an advertised salary of approximately THB30,000. She was instructed by a Filipino handler to travel by boat from Tawi-Tawi to Malaysia, and from there, was moved through Thailand and ultimately brought into Myanmar, where her workplace was located.
After attempting to resign due to 16-hour workdays, abusive conditions, and a THB1,000 fine for failing to recruit clients, she was detained and told she could only leave after paying a release fee of approximately PHP40,000. Following payment, she was dropped off near the Myanmar-Thailand border, where she was later arrested but managed to seek help from the Philippine Embassy.
Another repatriated male victim shared a similar story, initially accepting a customer service job offer seen on Facebook. He was later forced to work in a “love scam” operation and endured severe physical punishments, including forced standing under the sun, running, and forced overtime. After resigning, he was detained for 23 days without electricity and subjected to punishments such as having his head shaved.
He eventually borrowed money from fellow Filipinos to pay his release bond before being dropped off in Thailand, where he surrendered to authorities and received assistance from the Philippine embassy for his repatriation.
Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado issued a stern warning to aspiring overseas workers, urging them to reject unverified online job offers that promise high salaries in exchange for irregular travel arrangements.
“These stories are getting worse. Victims are sold, tortured, and exploited by these big syndicates abroad,” Viado said in a statement.
“Do not be the next victim.”
The BI chief stressed that while the government continues to strengthen its anti-trafficking efforts, public vigilance and cooperation remain essential in combating these criminal syndicates.