25 Filipino human trafficking victims rescued in Cambodia

At least 25 Filipinos who were victims of human trafficking and illegal recruitment were rescued in Cambodia and are now in a government facility.

According to JP Soriano’s “24 Oras” report, they were employed as scammers in a crypto farm.

Officials of the Philippine Embassy have started looking for the workers after some of them asked for help for not being paid by their employers.

Their whereabouts was traced with the help of an informant.

“‘Yung tip was tra-transfer sila so dahil physically nilabas na sila nung mga bad employers nila from that facility ayun kaya interception yung nangyari, it was a chase kumbaga kaya na-intercept sila,” said Consul General Emma Sarne, Philippine Embassy in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

The Embassy said all the rescued Filipinos do not have an Overseas Employment Contract (OEC) and did not go through the legal process. They got out of the country pretending to be tourists.

“‘Yung iba sinasabi may escort daw sila, yung mga iba sinasabi wala naman silang escort, yun yung mga dumadaan ng NAIA dahil sa paghihigpit nga,” said Sarne.

The others travelled from Mindanao to cross Malaysia and Brunei, then took a plane to Cambodia.

They hold forged documents and other requirements with forged signatures of Philippine Embassy officials.

“‘Yung signature ko na-forge, yung seal ng embahada na-forge na, hindi lang ng Philippine Embassy pati na rin yung ibang embassies abroad, napepeke yung letter head, napepeke yung seals at signatures namin and nakakalusot. Masakit mang aminin nakakalusot kasi mukhang tunay,” Sarne added.

From 2021 until October 2023, authorities have rescued more than 200 Filipinos who were illegally employed as scammers in crypto farms in Cambodia, the Philippine Embassy said.—Sherylin Untalan/LDF, GMA Integrated News