Hontiveros: Hundreds of Filipino trafficking victims possibly staying in Myanmar

Senator Risa Hontiveros is not discounting the possibility that hundreds of Filipino trafficking victims are still in Myanmar to work as scammers.

“Bukod dun sa grupong isang dosena ni [alias] Rita, may at least 31 pa raw or 40 plus or 50 plus na natitira don. Eh matatanong natin baka daan-daan ang ating mga kababayang OFW doon,” Hontiveros said in an interview on Unang Balita.

(Apart from the group where Rita and 11 other victims belong, they said there are at least 31 or 40 or 50 Filipinos who were left there. We can ask if there are hundreds of OFWs who are still working in that company.)

Last week, the senator delivered a privilege speech divulging the case of 12 Filipinos who were recruited to work as customer service representatives but ended up working as crypto-scammers in a special economic zone in Myanmar.

“Kasi yung… special economic zone kung saan naka-locate at nag-ooperate ang kanilang kumpanya, napakalaking area nun, baka marami pang kumpanyang tulad niyan ang nag-ooperate, baka nga umabot sa daan daan ang ating mga kababayan,” she said.

(The special economic zone, where the victims’ company is located, is a huge area. There might be other companies with similar operations that are located there and the number of Filipinos working for them might reach hundreds.)

Recently, an official from the Department of Foreign Affairs said at least 47 individuals who were apparently victims of human trafficking are reaching out to the Philippine government to seek help for their repatriation.

In a statement, Hontiveros raised the need for "clear transborder solutions" to address the cases of human trafficking.

"The Philippines, Thailand, and Malaysia are bound by the ASEAN convention against trafficking in persons kaya dapat mayroong tighter coordination para sugpuin ang krimeng ito. Mainam na may pagtutulungan at koordinasyon din sa mga estado ng US, Canada, Germany, at UK lalo na at ang mga mamamayan nila ang kadalasang biktima ng mga scams," she said.

The senator made the remark as she committed that the Senate  committee on women, children, family relations, and gender equality will continue its investigation to hold the individuals who are instrumental in the deployment of trafficked Filipinos abroad accountable.

During the Senate panel's investigation, a human trafficking victim disclosed that escorts facilitating the departure of trafficked individuals at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport gave them fake exit stamps to bypass the Bureau of Immigration (BI).

"Ang Senate committee on women, children, family relations, and gender equality ay patuloy na mag-iimbestiga para tuluyang mapanagot ang mga grupo o indibidwal sa BI man o sa MIAA, na nagpahamak sa mga kapwa nating Pilipino. Dapat mapaigting din ang border control dito sa Pilipinas para masigurado na hindi natin ipapasakamay ang ating mga kababayan sa mga sindikato," she said.

(The Senate committee on women, children, family relations, and gender equality will continue the investigation to hold accountable these groups or individuals whether  in the BI or in Manila International Airport Authority, who are instrumental in these human trafficking cases. We should also heighten our border controls in the Philippines so we can protect our countrymen from syndicates.)

"Kailangang mapauwi na din muna ang mga Pilipinong naita-traffic papuntang ibang bansa para mangscam. Kailangan ang mabilis na koordinasyon sa iba’t ibang ahensya ng gubyerno, tulad ng DFA, DMW, at OWWA, pati na ang ugnayan sa mga pamahalaan sa ibang bansa," she added.

(We should also ensure that these Filipinos, who were trafficked to work as scammers abroad, are repatriated. We need the immediate coordination of different agencies such as the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Department of Migrant Workers, and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration with the government instrumentalities abroad.)—AOL, GMA Integrated News