MANILA — The Bureau of Immigration (BI) reported the arrival of seven Filipinos repatriated from Myanmar early morning on November 25, urging the public to remain cautious of online job offers that may lead to human trafficking.

The victims, four females and three males in their 20s and 30s, arrived on a Philippine Airlines flight from Bangkok, Thailand, and were assisted by the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Task Force on Anti-Trafficking (NAIA-FAT).

Six of the repatriates had left the country through illegal migration routes, while one used a tourist visa to Thailand.

One female victim recounted being recruited via a Facebook job advertisement offering encoder work in Thailand with a salary of around THB 30,000. She was instructed to travel by boat from Tawi-Tawi to Malaysia, then to Mae Sot, Thailand, before being brought to Myanmar. After enduring 16-hour workdays, abusive conditions, and fines for not recruiting clients, she was detained and forced to pay around PHP 40,000 before being allowed to leave.

A male victim detailed a similarly harrowing journey, initially recruited through a Facebook post offering customer service work. He was transported through multiple vehicles and boats across Thailand before being forced to work in a love scam operation. He received only THB 10,000 with multiple deductions and endured physical punishments, prolonged labor, and a 23-day detention in a dormitory without electricity. He was eventually released after borrowing money to pay a release bond.

BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado warned aspiring overseas workers against unverified online offers, stressing that the government continues efforts to curb trafficking but that public vigilance is essential.

“These stories are getting worse. Victims are sold, tortured, and exploited by these big syndicates abroad. Do not be the next victim,” Viado said.