7 Filipino human trafficking victims repatriated — BI

Seven more Filipinos who were victimized by a human trafficking scheme in Myanmar have safely returned to the Philippines, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said on Thursday.

The victims, composed of four females and three males, were repatriated to the country on Tuesday, November 25. They arrived onboard a Philippine Airlines flight from Bangkok, Thailand at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

The BI said six of the victims exited the country through an illegal migration corridor, while one pretended to be a tourist bound for Thailand.

One of the victims said she was recruited through a job advertisement in a Facebook group that offered encoder work in Thailand with a salary of around THB 30,000 (approximately P54,000).

She was contacted by a Filipina handler identified through Facebook Messenger and later via Telegram. 

She was instructed to travel by boat from Tawi-Tawi to Malaysia. From there, they were moved to Mae Sot, Thailand, and eventually brought into Myanmar.

She attempted to resign after only one month due to 16-hour workdays, abusive conditions, and a THB 1,000 fine for failing to recruit clients. 

Instead of being released, she was detained and told she could only leave after paying around P40,000.

Once the payment was made, she was taken to the Myanmar-Thailand border. She was arrested but was later able to seek assistance from the Philippine Embassy.

A male victim detailed his dangerous trafficking journey. He initially saw a Facebook post offering a customer service job with a salary of P30,000. A handler contacted him through Telegram and provided detailed travel instructions. 

Upon arriving in Bangkok, he followed directions to a vehicle that transported him four hours to a hotel. The following day, he was fetched and taken to a mountainous area, then transferred through at least six pick-up trucks and a motorcycle until he reached Mae Sot.

From there, he was told to hide in a house for 30 minutes, after which he was brought by motorcycle to a river, ferried by boat, and then received by a vehicle on the opposite side.

He was driven to a gated facility, transferred again between several vehicles, and eventually taken to his workplace.

Initially tasked with social media work, he was later forced to work in a love scam operation. He received a one-time salary of THB 10,000 (P18,000) which included multiple deductions for failing to meet quotas.

He suffered severe physical punishments, including being forced to stand under the sun, run, and work extended overtime hours.

After resigning, he was detained for 23 days in a dormitory without electricity. He shared experiencing brutal punishments, including having his head shaved.

Unable to endure further, he borrowed money from fellow Filipinos to pay his release bond.  He and others were dropped off in Thailand, where they were able to seek help and surrender to authorities.

The male victim was then assisted by the Philippine Embassy, who arranged for his return to the country.

“These stories are getting worse,” said BI commissioner Joel Viado.  

"Victims are sold, tortured, and exploited by these big syndicates abroad.  Do not be the next victim,” he said. — JMA, GMA Integrated News