A 34-year-old Filipina — a former law enforcement officer who fell victim to human trafficking and illegal recruitment — was deported from Malaysia and arrived at the Zamboanga International Seaport recently, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) reported Tuesday.

Identified only as alias “Tina,” she was deported by Malaysian authorities after entering Sabah through illegal channels and working without proper documentation.

According to the BI’s Immigration Protection and Border Enforcement Section (I-PROBES), Tina traveled on 5 February from Palawan to Kudat, Malaysia, and then to Kota Kinabalu by speedboat — bypassing immigration checks.

Upon arrival, she was forced to work as an entertainer in a club for 10 days before being rescued by Malaysian officials. She was later placed in a women’s shelter in Kota Kinabalu and subsequently deported for violating local labor and immigration laws.

BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco warned against accepting dubious overseas job offers and traveling through unofficial routes.