51 Pinoys detained in Cambodia over alleged participation in online scams

Fifty-one Filipinos are currently detained in Cambodia for alleged involvement in online scams, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) reported Monday.

DMW Undersecretary Felicitas Bay said 23 Filipinos are detained in Battambang while 28 are in Sihanoukville.

“The involvement or engagement in an online scam is a criminal offense, and the Commission on Combating Online Scam has issued a legislation last April,” Bay said at a press conference.

Passed in April, Cambodia's Law on Combating Technology-Based Fraud imposes strict prison sentences ranging from two years to life imprisonment and fines of up to $250,000 to eradicate illegal cyber scam centers and online scams.

Bay said DMW personnel visited the detained Filipino last June 12 and is scheduled for another visit on July 22.

According to the DMW, the detained Filipinos will have to undergo judicial process to determine whether or not they participated in online scam.

“We see our OFWs or those who are the human trafficking victims as victims but since there is an offense or a criminal liability, sila ay nakokonsider sa Bansang Kambodya (they are considered in Cambodia) as perpetrators,” Bay said.

In March, the DMW reported that 53 Filipinos who were victims of human trafficking from Cambodia were repatriated and arrived in the Philippines.

Earlier this month, the DMW has opened an Migrant Workers Office in Phnom Penh to provide assistance to OFWs in Cambodia. — RSJ, GMA News