THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Sunday warned the public against human trafficking syndicates in Cambodia.
The BI issued the warning after four Filipinos repatriated from Phnom Penh revealed that they were “sold” by online scam operators.
According to the BI, the victims, who are in their 20s and 30s, returned to the Philippines on April 19 through the assistance of the Philippine Embassy in Cambodia and the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT).
The repatriation of the victims was in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to intensify the fight against human trafficking and ensure the safety of overseas Filipinos.
Initial investigations showed that victims were recruited via Facebook job postings offering supposed employment as encoders or customer service representatives.
Upon arrival in Cambodia, their passports were seized and they were forced to work in online scam hubs, pretending to be agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) or romantic partners to defraud foreigners.
The victims said when they failed to meet quotas, they were subjected to long work hours and punishments. They were eventually transferred or sold to other scam groups.
One of the victims recounted working 16 to 20 hours daily under threats of detention and physical punishment.
Another said they were only able to escape after being handed over to a different group due to low performance.
“They were treated like property — bought, sold, and abused,” BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said.
Viado said the victims’ stories are clear proof that syndicates operate with no regard for human dignity.
“This must stop,” he saud.
He added that the Philippine government is pursuing an aggressive crackdown on trafficking networks.
Viado urged people looking for jobs to avoid illegal offers online. He advised them to go through the Department of Migrant Workers.
Authorities are investigating the illegal recruiters who facilitated the victims’ departure.
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