Three suspected illegal recruiters were charged for human trafficking, according to the Bureau of Immigration.

The three suspects 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.

According to the Immigration bureau, the victims were promised jobs but were instead forced to work in cyber scam operations under severe physical abuse and coercion.

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.

Amid the abuse, many were initially hesitant to testify, fearing the traffickers’ resources and legal connections.

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.