By Marita Moaje
MANILA – Two Taiwanese nationals allegedly behind the illegal recruitment of Filipinos for scam hubs abroad were arrested, while five aspiring overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) were rescued at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 in Pasay City on Monday.
In a news release, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said the operation was done in coordination with the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, Philippine National Police-Women and Children Protection Center, Bureau of Immigration, Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking, and NAIA Task Force Against Trafficking.
“The arrest of these illegal recruiters and human traffickers is our bold and firm message to protect our kababayan (fellow Filipinos) from exploitation,” DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said.
“We will not stop pursuing recruiters who prey on the vulnerability of our people.”
The Taiwanese suspects were intercepted while escorting the victims — three males and two females — who were promised lucrative jobs in Cambodia as “customer service representatives.”
Cacdac said the victims were lured through social media and messaging platforms, with a promise of monthly salaries ranging from USD800 to USD1,000 (approximately PHP45,000 to PHP58,000).
Investigators later confirmed that the job offers were fictitious and tied to cyberfraud operations proliferating in Southeast Asia.
Cacdac lauded the swift inter-agency coordination, stressing that the operation was carried out in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to strengthen protection for Filipino workers against trafficking syndicates.
The DMW said the two Taiwanese nationals face charges of illegal recruitment and human trafficking under the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act. (PNA)
