PASAY CITY, Philippines — Three suspected human traffickers were formally charged on April 24 following an inquest filed by the National Bureau of Investigation–International Airport Investigation Division (NBI-IAID).
The charges stemmed from the sworn complaints of seven overseas Filipino victims who were repatriated on April 23 from Cambodia after being trafficked to Myanmar.
The Bureau of Immigration (BI), which assisted in the investigation, said the victims were promised jobs but were instead forced to work in cyber scam operations under severe physical abuse and coercion.
Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said the government’s efforts are anchored on the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to protect Filipinos from all forms of modern-day slavery and transnational crime.
“Kaisa kami ng Pangulo sa adhikaing maprotektahan ang bawat Pilipino mula sa human trafficking,” Viado said.
The victims recounted being recruited online, then instructed to pose as OFWs or leave the country as tourists to evade detection.
Upon arriving in Myanmar, they were detained in scam compounds where they were beaten, electrocuted, and denied proper compensation if they failed to meet daily scam quotas. Some had no rest days and suffered psychological trauma.
Despite the abuse, many were initially hesitant to testify, fearing the traffickers’ resources and legal connections.
“Alam naming mahirap magsalita kung ang kalaban ay makapangyarihan. Pero narito ang pamahalaan upang ipaglaban kayo,” Viado said. “Huwag tayong manahimik. Kung may pananakit, may hustisya. Kung may panlilinlang, may parusa.”
The inquest was filed before the Office of the City Prosecutor of Pasay. The repatriation was made possible through the coordinated efforts of the Philippine government, including DFA, OWWA, DMW, DSWD, and the Philippine Embassy in Cambodia.
The BI expressed its deep appreciation to the Department of Justice–Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (DOJ-IACAT) for their unwavering support and persistence in building and filing the case.
“Mabuhay ang DOJ-IACAT sa kanilang matibay na paninindigan at walang-sawang pagtulong sa mga biktima ng human trafficking. Kaisa tayong lahat sa laban na ito, Viado added. #
