54 Myanmar repatriates suspected of backdoor exit, says BI

Bureau of Immigration (BI) commissioner Joel Anthony Viado on Monday expressed concern about reports that the 54 Filipino victims of human trafficking who were recently repatriated from Myanmar have left the country through backdoor exits.

Viado called for stricter monitoring of the country’s southern borders, which are illegal exit routes where traffickers covertly transport victims overseas via small boats.

He also claimed that stricter rules will guarantee that agencies adhere to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s determination to protect the country’s borders.

“I think this is just the tip of the iceberg. We’ve been expressing this problem for a long time, and it’s about time that it’s acknowledged and addressed to keep additional kababayans from being victimized by this syndicate,” Viado said.

Earlier, the BI commended the Philippine National Police for the arrest of alias “Fiona” in Zamboanga. She has been identified as one of the facilitators of the illegal departure of those victims through the southern region of the country, using small boats to transport them to neighboring countries.

Among the 206 people repatriated from scam hubs in Myawaddy, Myanmar, the National Bureau of Investigation also detained another perpetrator, known as “Jon-Jon.” At first, alias “Jon-Jon” claimed to be a victim himself, but his colleagues revealed that he was one of the company’s recruiters.

An earlier study on backdoor (entrances/exits) in connection with human trafficking and maritime migrant smuggling was released by the Inter-Agency Council against Trafficking.

Their studies strongly recommended that Law Enforcement Authorities and local government units strictly boost their monitoring of the areas of concern, especially in the southern region of the country.

In addition, Viado stated that he would advise legislators to research the application of legal penalties on Filipinos who depart the country illegally.

“Our country has no particular law that penalizes unlawful departures. The Philippine Passport Act may apply to cases involving related infractions, including altering or falsifying official papers,” Viado said.

“However, making unlawful escapes a crime would significantly discourage traffickers and make victims reconsider accepting such promises,” he added.