DFA flags persistent trafficking cases involving Filipinos abroad

Reports of Filipinos allegedly trafficked and forced into working in scam hubs across Southeast Asia continue to reach the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

In a statement, the DFA said it is coordinating with its embassies in Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia to assist distressed nationals and is urging local authorities for cooperation.

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has also recently recorded a stream of repatriated scam victims. The most recent case involved four Filipino men, aged 27 to 46, who were flown home from Phnom Penh via Philippine Airlines on 12 July.

According to the BI, three of the victims left the Philippines posing as tourists, while the fourth used a backdoor route, traveling from Palawan to Kota Kinabalu via speedboat, then to Thailand and Myanmar before reaching Cambodia.

“He described experiencing maltreatment, long working hours, and months without pay — eventually escaping and seeking help from the Philippine Embassy,” the BI said.

Another reported case involved a 25-year-old man repatriated from Cambodia late Sunday. He was forced to carry out “love scams” by sending out “wrong messages,” which led to flirtatious exchanges.

Both victims reportedly suffered maltreatment after failing to meet imposed quotas.

The DFA reiterated its call to Filipinos seeking work abroad to undergo legal deployment procedures imposed by the Department of Migrant Workers and urged families to contact Philippine embassies if they believe their relatives may be trapped in scam compounds.

The DFA provided the following hotlines for assistance:

• Philippine Embassy in Yangon

  • ATN Hotline: +95 998 521 0991

  • Email: yangonpe.atn@dfa.gov.ph

  • Facebook Messenger: Philippine Embassy in Myanmar

• Philippine Embassy in Bangkok

  • ATN Hotline: +66 81989 7116

  • Email: bangkok.pe@dfa.gov.ph