BI repatriates 4 Filipinos rescued from Myanmar human trafficking ring

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) repatriated four Filipinos, two men and two women in their 30s, who were victims of a human trafficking scheme in Myanmar.

They arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 on June 26 after being recruited by a compatriot for what they believed were call center jobs.

Instead, they were forced to work as customer service representatives for online scam operations.

The victims initially traveled as tourists to Hong Kong, Thailand, and Taiwan before being transported to Myanmar by boat.

Two of the victims were not able to receive their last salaries, while the other two were made to pay 5,000 RMB (over P127,000) as penalties before they were released.

BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco expressed sadness over a fellow Filipino facilitating the exploitation of their compatriots and vowed to continue enforcing strict departure protocols and public awareness campaigns.