12 Filipinos rescued from Myanmar scam center repatriated

Twelve Filipinos, victims of human trafficking and illegal recruitment, have been repatriated to the Philippines after being forced to work as online scammers in Myanmar.

They were recruited via Facebook for customer sales representative roles but were instead forced into scamming operations without pay or rest days.

The victims endured physical abuse, including beatings and electrocution, and were punished with demeaning exercises.

Their employer demanded a $15,000 ransom for their release when they sought to leave.

The Filipinos escaped and sought help from the Myanmar military, leading to their rescue.

They were among approximately 250 individuals freed from the scam center and were repatriated through the joint efforts of the Philippine Embassy and Migrant Workers Office in Bangkok.

The victims are now receiving psychosocial, financial, and legal assistance from various government agencies, including the DMW, BI, DSWD, NBI, and DoJ.