MANILA – The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has warned Filipinos against accepting illegal overseas job offers that could expose them to human trafficking and fraudulent operations in Southeast Asia, particularly in Myanmar and Cambodia.
Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said Monday that authorities in the two countries are increasingly treating individuals working in scam hubs as criminal offenders rather than potential trafficking victims, complicating efforts to secure their release and repatriation.
Cacdac said the DMW, in coordination with Philippine embassies and Migrant Workers Offices, continues to monitor Filipinos allegedly forced to work in scam operations in Myanmar, Cambodia and neighboring countries, including Malaysia, Thailand and Laos.
“We have been on top of the situation, monitoring together with the embassy in Yangon,” Cacdac said during an interview in Pasay City.
He explained that laws penalizing employment in scam operations have created legal challenges for Filipino workers who may have been recruited through fraudulent schemes.
“Ang problema ngayon ay may mga batas na ipinasa sa Myanmar and Cambodia penalizing employment in the scam hubs. So some, if not all of them, are seen as perpetrators rather than victims, which is rather different from the way we see it,” he said.
Cacdac emphasized that the Philippine government considers trafficked workers victims who require protection and assistance. However, local laws in host countries may subject them to criminal proceedings and detention.
He said these legal restrictions could delay repatriation even when Philippine authorities are prepared to assist distressed workers.
According to Cacdac, 19 Filipinos detained in Myanmar over the past two months have been released and repatriated.
“In the last two months, meron tayong 19 nakulong sa Myanmar, nakalaya, nakauwi,” he said, adding that authorities are still verifying the latest number of detained Filipinos.
Meanwhile, the DMW earlier reported that 51 Filipinos are being monitored in detention facilities in Cambodia over their alleged involvement in scam operations.
Of the total, 28 are detained in Sihanoukville and face felony charges aggravated by organized crime, which carry possible prison terms of five to 10 years.
Another 23 Filipinos are detained in Battambang on misdemeanor charges punishable by two to five years in prison.
The DMW stressed that the allegations against the detained workers must be assessed while taking into account the possibility that some were victims of human trafficking or forced criminal activities.
To prevent similar cases, Cacdac urged Filipino jobseekers to pursue overseas employment only through legitimate recruitment channels verified by the government.
He advised applicants to transact exclusively with DMW-licensed recruitment agencies and ensure that their employment contracts and work visas accurately reflect their intended jobs.
Cacdac also reminded prospective OFWs that employment documents must undergo proper verification and processing through the DMW.
He warned jobseekers against accepting suspicious offers or participating in unauthorized recruitment arrangements that could place them at risk of exploitation, detention or criminal prosecution abroad.
