Three overseas Filipino workers who were victims of human trafficking were repatriated from Cambodia after being forced to work in scam hubs abroad, according to the Bureau of Immigration.
The victims – two men and a woman – whose names are withheld in compliance with anti-trafficking laws, arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 via a Philippine Airlines flight from Phnom Penh on June 6.
The victims told the BI that they departed the Philippines posing as tourists but were in fact recruited for illegal employment overseas.
The job offer promised them a monthly salary of US$1,000 (more than P55,000), free lodging, and four days off per month.
BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said that upon arrival in Cambodia, the victims received no proper facilitation or support, exposing them to immediate risk.
“Two of them were grateful to have been housed outside the company premises, as this gave them the opportunity to contact the embassy and seek help,” Viado said.
“It is also deeply concerning that the victims were required to meet a quota or pay US$1,000 to US$2,000 should they fail to meet the quota,” he added.
One of the victims also recounted how he was forced to work as a scammer targeting Pinoys online.
