DOJ warns of evolving human trafficking schemes

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has warned that human trafficking is increasingly shifting to online platforms and cross-border operations despite the Philippines maintaining its Tier 1 ranking in the U.S. Department of State's Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report for the 11th consecutive year.

DOJ Undersecretary Nicholas Felix Ty, who oversees the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT), said the ranking reflects sustained government efforts to combat trafficking but does not mean the crime has been eradicated.

Ty outlined the government's whole-of-nation strategy against trafficking, citing emerging threats involving cyber-enabled scam hubs, online sexual exploitation of children, fraudulent surrogacy arrangements and marriage scams.

He said criminal networks have increasingly used online investment and romance scams to exploit trafficked individuals, some of whom are forced to operate fraudulent schemes under threats of violence and abuse.

Ty also raised concerns over online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC), in which minors are exploited through digital platforms, sometimes from their own homes.

Other emerging schemes include fraudulent surrogacy arrangements targeting financially vulnerable Filipino women and deceptive marriage arrangements that lead to forced domestic servitude abroad.

To address these threats, Ty said the DOJ and IACAT are implementing measures under the government's National Strategic Action Plan against human trafficking.

Among the measures cited was the ban on Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs), alongside enforcement operations targeting illegal online gambling and scam hubs.

Joint operations involving IACAT, the National Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Immigration have targeted suspected trafficking networks, resulting in arrests and the rescue of victims.

The government has also established specialized support services, including the IACAT–Tahanan ng Inyong Pag-asa (TIP) Center, to provide trafficking survivors, particularly children, with counseling, shelter and rehabilitation assistance.

At the regional level, Ty highlighted cooperation among Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states to strengthen cross-border enforcement, victim referral systems and monitoring of trafficking routes.

He stressed that prosecution and law enforcement must be supported by community vigilance and public cooperation to prevent trafficking, particularly cases involving family members and online exploitation.