The three Filipina women who were victims of human trafficking and forced to work as sex workers in Malaysia have been successfully rescued and repatriated. According to a report by the Bureau of Immigration (BI), the victims arrived at the Port of Zamboanga on April 5, 2025 from Sandakan, Sabah aboard the MV Antonia.
Based on initial investigation, the women were offered jobs as waitresses in Malaysia with a salary of P40,000 to P60,000 per month. But upon their arrival, they were forced to work as guest relations officers (GROs) in bars.
Two of them left the Philippines in November 2024 using the illegal route or "backdoor", an illegal maritime corridor used by others to evade immigration procedures. They passed from Palawan to Malaysia using small boats to avoid being caught by authorities.
Upon their arrival in Sabah, they were taken to a bar-restaurant where they were caught by Malaysian authorities for not having proper documentation. They remained in Malaysia for five months before they were finally repatriated and handed over to Philippine officials.
According to Dana Sandoval, BI spokesperson, one of the victims said she was trafficked in 2021 and has continued to be exploited since then. The BI advised the public to contact the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) if they have information about human trafficking or illegal recruitment on their 24/7 Actionline 1343.
