Four Filipinas who were trafficked and forced into sex work in Malaysia have returned to the Philippines after escaping their employers, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) reported Thursday.

According to BI, the victims, who arrived on 22 October, were initially lured with promises of entertainment jobs but were coerced into prostitution.

The victims said they first worked in a KTV bar in Labuan for two weeks before being transferred to Johor Bahru, where they were forced to engage in sexual activities in a VIP spa area.

The women escaped through backdoor routes, taking a small boat from Tawi-Tawi bound for Malaysia. Investigations also revealed that their passports contained fake Philippine departure stamps, as confirmed by BI’s forensic documents laboratory.

After managing to escape and travel to Kuala Lumpur, they sought assistance from the Philippine Embassy.

Immigration Commissioner Joel Viado said the plight of the four victims highlights the “grim reality” of improperly documented Filipino workers.

“They are shuffled around and compelled to endure exploitative working conditions,” Viado said.

BI added that the identities of the recruiters have been reported to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking and the National Bureau of Investigation–International Airport Investigation Division for further investigation.