Manila: The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) seeks to intensify law enforcement against illegal recruitment and human trafficking following the rescue of 220 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from a major online scam hub in Myanmar. In a press briefing on Monday, Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said the rescued Filipinos from KK Park scam hub in eastern Myanmar are now in Mae Sot in Western Thailand, under the care of the Philippine Embassy.
According to Philippines News Agency, Cacdac emphasized the need to break the cycle of repatriation and rescue, advocating for stronger law enforcement as a permanent solution. He acknowledged the efforts of host countries in implementing laws against human trafficking and asserted the Philippines’ commitment to combating illegal recruitment and human trafficking, particularly in areas offering illegal job promises. Cacdac highlighted a recent case where two individuals were sentenced to life imprisonment and fined PHP2 million for human trafficking.
In September, authorities arrested human traffickers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and rescued four Filipino victims bound for Cambodia. Cacdac also noted the recent rescue of 13 victims of human trafficking and illegal recruitment, along with the arrest of their recruiters in Rizal, Palawan. He stressed the importance of law enforcement and the filing of cases to address the root cause of human trafficking.
Cacdac announced that a joint DMW-OWWA (Overseas Workers Welfare Administration) augmentation team has been deployed to assist the 220 rescued Filipinos, providing financial aid, food, accommodation, and documentation assistance while coordinating with Thai authorities for their repatriation. The DMW is still verifying whether there are more Filipino victims in Myanmar, estimating the number to be between 200 to 300.
DMW Undersecretary Bernard Olalia reported that over 70,000 illegal job postings linked to scam hubs have been removed through collaborations with Facebook and TikTok. The DMW operates a 24/7 online monitoring team to identify suspicious recruitment content. Olalia mentioned that the Migrant Workers Protection Bureau (MWPB) conducts investigations and case build-ups to file appropriate charges against perpetrators. More than 20 active trafficking cases have been filed, gathering testimonies from over 200 victims. Since 2023, the Philippine government has repatriated a total of 1,454 human trafficking victims from Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar.
