A Filipino who was repatriated after being trafficked to work in a scam hub abroad has safely returned to the Philippines, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said Saturday.

BI commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said the 25-year-old man arrived in the Philippines on last week aboard a Philippine Airlines flight from Myanmar.

The BI’s immigration protection and border enforcement section confirmed that the victim departed the country in September 2025 via an illegal migration corridor, more commonly known as a “backdoor” route, through Tawi-Tawi.

Initial investigation revealed that upon arrival in Malaysia, the victim traveled overland through Thailand en route to Myanmar, where he was recruited under the pretense of employment as a customer service representative for an online shopping platform.

He later discovered that he had been deceived and was coerced into working as a scammer for a fraud syndicate operating in the region.

The victim further disclosed that he was subjected to humiliation and degrading treatment, including being required to act as an errand boy and perform laborious tasks such as moving furniture, and was even forced to entertain other scammers by dancing.

Viado noted that recent repatriation cases involving Filipinos who exited the country through illegal “backdoor” routes are now surfacing, highlighting the dangers of unauthorized departure and increased vulnerability to trafficking and exploitation.

“There is no substitute for legal and documented employment abroad. We strongly advise our kababayans to avoid illegal departure routes and instead rely on legitimate processes that are in place to protect them from harm,” Viado said.