Pinay call center agent jailed in HK after joining ‘free tour’

A Filipina call center agent had to spend six months in a jail facility in Hong Kong after being lured to join a free trip to the foreign country.

According to a report by Emil Sumangil on GMA's 24 Oras on Tuesday, the 23-year-old Maureen Guttierez said she was offered a 5-day all-expenses paid tour in Hong Kong last year. It was her sister's godmother who made the offer which also comes with pocket money worth P15,000.

The victim said she was forced to sign an employment contract and open a bank account when they arrived in Hong Kong.

"Paglapag po namin sa Hong Kong, nag-antay lang kami sandali tapos mayroong dumating na parang Chinese na boss nila then sila nagbigay sa amin ng instructions. Pinagpahinga kami, pinakain, tapos bandang hapon pinag-open na kami ng bank account," Guttierez said.

A few moments later, police officers arrested three of them. Seven others who were part of the supposed tourist trip, including the godmother of the victim's sister, were not arrested.

Guttierez said she tried to call the woman who offered her the trip but she can no longer be reached.

The call center agent just got released in April. She sought the help of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

The NBI, however, said that it can only warn other Filipinos at this point in time because the institution cannot file cases against the perpetrators.

"Hindi po natin makakasuhan dahil ang pangyayari pong ito ay nangyari po sa labas ng ating bansa," Atty. Van Homer Angluben said.

Angluben said the NBI will continue its investigation on the issue as many others may fall victim to the appealing offer that may put them behind bars.

"Ang pagbubukas ng bank account, maaaring gamitin sa money laundering, pag-transfer ng pera mula Pilipinas papunta sa Hong Kong, mga pera po na ito'y ilegal na kinokolekta tapos dinadala sa ibang bansa dun ginagamit," Angluben said. —Dona Magsino/LDF, GMA News