39 Filipino trafficking victims from Nigeria return home

Thirty-nine Filipinos who were victims of human trafficking from Lagos, Nigeria arrived home to the Philippines on Monday, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said.

The DMW said the Filipinos arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 and were welcomed by Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac.

“Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac who personally met the distressed OFWs during his official visit in Nigeria, along with HCOWA Chairperson Rep. Bryan Revilla welcome the repatriates and assured them of all the necessary assistance and support from a whole-of-government team as directed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.,” the department said in a statement. 

“All of them will also receive immediate financial assistance through the DMW AKSYON Fund and will be provided with temporary accommodation and transportation services back to their respective provinces from OWWA,” it added. 

In a separate statement, the DMW reminded the public to be cautious of face-to-face and online modus operandi of illegal recruiters and syndicates. 

DMW Assistant Secretary Jerome Alcantara noted that among the red flags in illegal recruitment and human trafficking include “too good to be true” jobs, backdoor exit points, dubious employment documents, and other modus operandi of illegal recruiters and syndicates whether physical or online transactions. 

According to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking, About 120 distressed overseas Filipinos who fell victim to human trafficking in Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia were safely repatriated to the Philippines from July 31 to August 9. 

The DMW earlier said that it will soon open a Migrant Workers Office in Abuja, Nigeria which  “will facilitate faster response to labor concerns, provide legal and welfare assistance, and improve coordination with host governments and employers.” — Vince Angelo Ferreras/RF, GMA Integrated News