The Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT), led by the Department of Justice (DoJ), has successfully repatriated 120 distressed overseas Filipino workers from Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia.
The government announced the operation’s success during a press briefing Monday at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3.
According to IACAT records, 77 Filipinos were rescued from Laos, 38 from Myanmar and five from Cambodia. Authorities said most of the victims were lured by fraudulent online job offers in the cyber-scam industry and were later subjected to abusive and exploitative working conditions.
Among the cases from Myanmar were accounts of a woman who was forced to undergo an abortion to keep her job and another who was raped by her Chinese team leader.
“This successful repatriation reflects the government’s steadfast commitment to protecting our kababayans from exploitation,” said DoJ Assistant Secretary Jose Dominic Clavano IV, who stressed the value of inter-agency collaboration.
The repatriation was a joint effort between the DoJ, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), the Bureau of Immigration (BI) and the Philippine National Police.
Upon their arrival, the workers received medical attention, psychosocial support and legal assistance. DSWD assistant regional director Benjie Bitcol Valdez said reintegration programs would be implemented to help the repatriated workers rebuild their lives.
Meantime, Hannah Lizette Manalili, IACAT’s executive director, issued a warning against illegal recruiters, urging Filipinos to verify all overseas job offers with official government channels, such as the DMW and the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration.
“Do not fall for offers that seem too good to be true,” Manalili said. “Always check with authorities before accepting overseas employment.”
IACAT and its partner agencies will continue to investigate the networks responsible for the trafficking schemes.
Meanwhile, the DFA noted that diplomatic efforts are underway to enhance protections for overseas Filipino workers in high-risk regions.
In other developments, BI deputy spokesperson Melvin Mabulac disclosed that 53 of the repatriated individuals had verified overseas employment certificates, which means they left the country as legal overseas workers.
Upcoming arrivals include two Filipinos from Baghdad on Tuesday and 41 more from Nigeria and Kurdistan on Wednesday.
The DFA said that since January, a total of 629 alleged Filipino trafficking victims has been repatriated. As of Monday, 148 cases remain pending.