2 Filipinas trafficked in Malaysia repatriated before Christmas

After a terrifying experience with human traffickers in Malaysia, two Filipinas were returned home and welcomed by the Bureau of Immigration.

The repatriated individuals, whose names are withheld to ensure their safety, arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 via an AirAsia flight from Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, on 20 December.

The victims claim that earlier this year, they left the country by boat along the Palawan-Kudat route, lured by offers of jobs as club waitresses.

BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco then disclosed that upon the victims' arrival at their workplaces, they were deprived of any compensation for their work.

"One of them even faced further distress when she expressed her desire to return home. Instead of letting her go, her employer reported her to Malaysian authorities for working without a proper visa, resulting in her detention," he said.

Tansingco further expressed his dismay as he explained how the incident sheds light on the vulnerability of improperly documented overseas Filipino workers.

"They find themselves at the mercy of unscrupulous employers without the protection of legal contracts. The lack of formal agreements leaves them susceptible to exploitation and abuse," said Tansingco. "The repatriation of these two victims serves as a reminder of the challenges faced by improperly documented OFWs and the urgent need for comprehensive measures to prevent human trafficking," he added.

Representatives from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, the Department of Foreign Affairs, and the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Task Force Against Trafficking provided assistance to both victims upon their arrival.