Four Filipina victims of human trafficking, who were forced into sex work in Malaysia, have returned home after managing to escape their employers, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) reported Thursday.

The victims, who arrived in the Philippines on 22 October, were initially lured by promises of legitimate entertainment jobs but were instead coerced into prostitution, according to the BI.

The women told authorities they were made to work for two weeks in a KTV bar in Labuan before being transferred to Johor Bahru, where they were forced into sexual activities in a VIP spa area.

They initially left the Philippines through illicit “backdoor routes,” taking a small boat from Tawi-Tawi to Malaysia. Investigators confirmed their passports carried fake Philippine departure stamps.

After escaping, the women managed to travel to Kuala Lumpur where they sought assistance from the Philippine Embassy.

Immigration commissioner Joel Viado said the victims’ situation illustrates the “grim reality” faced by improperly documented Filipino workers.

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

The BI said the identities of the alleged recruiters have been forwarded to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking and the National Bureau of Investigation-International Airport Investigation Division for further investigation.