A 25-year-old Filipino man who was trafficked to work in a scam hub abroad has safely returned to the country after enduring forced labor and abuse, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said Saturday.

BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said the victim arrived on March 21 via a Philippine Airlines flight from Myanmar.

According to the BI’s Immigration Protection and Border Enforcement Section (I-PROBES), the victim left the country in September 2025 through an illegal “backdoor” route via Tawi-Tawi.

He first traveled to Malaysia before moving overland through Thailand en route to Myanmar, where he was promised a job as a customer service representative for an online shopping platform.

He later discovered he had been recruited into a fraud syndicate and was forced to work as a scammer.

The victim also reported degrading treatment, including being made to run errands, perform heavy tasks such as moving furniture, and dance to entertain other workers.

Viado said the case reflects a growing number of repatriations involving Filipinos who exited the country through illegal routes, increasing their vulnerability to trafficking and exploitation.

“There is no substitute for legal and documented employment abroad,” Viado said, warning Filipinos against using unauthorized exit points.

The BI reiterated its call for the public to follow proper migration procedures, stressing that illegal “backdoor” routes expose individuals to heightened risks of abuse and trafficking overseas.