The Bureau of Immigration (BI) welcomes the return of two Filipinas who were repatriated from Malaysia after a harrowing ordeal with human traffickers in Malaysia.
The repatriated individuals, whose names are withheld to ensure their safety, arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 via an Air Asia flight from Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia last December 20.
According to the victims, they left the country earlier this year via a boat trip through the Palawan-Kudat route, enticed by promises of employment as waitresses in clubs.
BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco then disclosed that upon the victims arrival in their workplaces, they were deprived of any compensation for their work.
“One of them even faced further distress when she expressed her desire to return home. Instead of letting her go, her employer reported her to Malaysian authorities for working without a proper visa, resulting in her detention,” he said.
Tansingco further expressed his dismay as he explains how the incident sheds light on the vulnerability of improperly documented overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
“They find themselves at the mercy of unscrupulous employers without the protection of legal contracts. The lack of formal agreements leaves them susceptible to exploitation and abuse,” said Tansingco. “The repatriation of these two victims serves as a reminder of the challenges faced by improperly documented OFWs and the urgent need for comprehensive measures to prevent human trafficking.” he added.
Both victims were assisted by officials from Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) and Ninoy Aquino International Airport Task Force Against Trafficking (NAIA-TFAT).
