ZAMBOANGA: Authorities arrested an alleged illegal recruiter and rescued five potential human trafficking victims bound for Laos, police said Friday. Lt. Col. Mario Baquiran Jr., Women and Children Protection Center-Mindanao Field Unit (WCPC-MFU) chief, identified the suspect as Regie Dando of Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay. Dando was arrested around 2:30 p.m. Thursday in an operation by police, military personnel, and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) at a pension house on Macrohon Drive, Barangay Canelar. The WCPC-MFU withheld the identities of the five rescued victims. Investigators showed that the victims were scheduled to travel by ferry to Tawi-Tawi, with Laos as their final destination. Dando is now in police custody and will face charges related to human trafficking. The victims were turned over to the DSWD for counseling and are set to return to their homes. The Department of Migrant Workers repeatedly warned Filipinos against accepting job offers in Laos, citing the risk of fal ling victim to scam syndicates. Last month, the Department of Foreign Affairs repatriated 125 Filipinos who were recruited to work for cyber scam operations in the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone in Laos. Source: Philippines News agency