The government has successfully repatriated more than 100 Filipinos who were victims of human trafficking in Southeast Asia.
According to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT), the victims arrived in the country from July 31 to August 9. In total, 77 came from Laos, 38 from Myanmar, and 5 from Cambodia.
They were tricked with fake online job offers and forced to work as scammers in so-called love scam hubs. Many experienced abuse, isolation, and physical abuse when they failed to meet quotas. There was also a case where a woman from Myanmar was forced to abort a baby, while another was raped by her Chinese team leader.
Upon arrival in the Philippines, the victims were provided with financial assistance (approximately ₱5,000 each), medical and psychosocial assistance, as well as temporary housing before returning to their provinces. Additional repatriations of Filipinos from Baghdad, Nigeria, and Kurdistan are expected in the coming days.