(KPL/VNA) The Philippines’ Bureau of Immigration (BI) has issued a warning about the increasing number of Philippine trafficking victims who are illegally departing the country through backdoor routes to work in Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGO) abroad.

This came after the Philippine government arranged for the repatriation of three trafficking victims on March 16 from Phnom Penh, Cambodia. According to the BI, the victims reportedly sought help from the Philippine Embassy after experiencing physical assault and torture from their employers for more than two months. They were made to work as scammers.

Upon arrival in the Philippines, they were assisted by the National Bureau of Investigation, which has initiated investigations against their recruiters.

An initial investigation found no official exit records for the three trafficking victims. According to their statements, they left the Philippines through unauthorised channels, boarding a small vessel from Jolo, Sulu, that transported them to Sabah, Malaysia.

Upon reaching Sabah, their passports were "allegedly stamped with fake Philippine departure stamps," according to the bureau. From there, they continued their journey overland to Kuala Lumpur, then took a flight to Bangkok, Thailand, before ultimately reaching their final destination in Cambodia.

They were recruited via Facebook by a fellow Filipino promising a customer service representative job in Cambodia with a monthly salary of 1,000 USD. Upon their arrival in Cambodia, they underwent training to work as “love scammers” but received only 300 USD. After attempting to find new employment because of insufficient wages, the victims reported that their employer responded with physical assault, seized their phones, and left them stranded in an unfamiliar area.

This is not the first time the bureau has warned against accepting dubious job offers from overseas recruiters. In December 2023, the bureau issued the same warning after the repatriation of 27 citizens from Cambodia, who were made to work as love scammers who targeted elderly men from the UK.

While the BI vows to continue strengthening border security measures, it said there is a need to coordinate more with local authorities to prevent illegal departures.

KPL