MANILA — Nearly 20 individuals allegedly involved in illegal recruitment activities linked to Myanmar, Cambodia, and other Southeast Asian countries have been arrested in a series of operations conducted by the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and its partner agencies.

In a DZMM interview on Sunday, DMW Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac confirmed the arrests, saying the coordinated crackdown was carried out in cooperation with the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), the Philippine National Police (PNP), and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

Among those apprehended were four recruiters operating in Rizal and Palawan, as well as a Taiwanese national caught at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

“Some of them pretended to be repatriates, but in reality, they were recruiters themselves. Fortunately, our police and the PAOCC were able to identify and apprehend them,” Cacdac said.

The DMW chief also reported that three individuals have already been sentenced to life imprisonment for illegal recruitment connected to operations in Myanmar and Cambodia.

Cacdac said that more than 800 Filipinos have been repatriated from Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos, while around 200 others are still being assisted for their return.

“Rest assured we’re cooperating with authorities to bring them home as soon as possible,” he said.

According to Cacdac, recruiters often lure Filipinos to visa-free ASEAN countries such as Thailand and Malaysia under the guise of job offers that lack proper documentation.

“Visa-free entry is only for tourism. It doesn’t mean you can work there,” he reminded the public.

He added that the DMW continues to coordinate with local and international partners to pursue syndicates involved in human smuggling. “We do not condone irregular labor mobility. We stand for safe, ethical, and transparent recruitment,” Cacdac said.

The DMW has been working closely with the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) and Philippine embassies in Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand to assist affected Filipinos and strengthen cross-border cooperation.

Cacdac emphasized that the campaign aligns with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to ensure that the deployment of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) remains safe, legal, and humane.