MANILA – Two Filipino trafficking victims were repatriated on March 20, a year after leaving the country through irregular “backdoor” exit routes, authorities said.

Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said monitoring of known illegal departure points, especially in the country’s southern borders, must be strengthened as trafficking syndicates continue to exploit these routes using small boats.

The two victims, males aged 27 and 30, arrived from Vientiane, Laos, aboard a Philippine Airlines flight. Investigations revealed that they were recruited in 2025 for supposed labor opportunities abroad, leaving the Philippines through a maritime corridor via Zamboanga and bypassing official immigration controls.

Both men reported being promised legitimate work overseas as a waiter and farm worker, with salaries ranging from PHP40,000 to PHP60,000 per month. Upon reaching Laos, however, they were coerced into working as “love scammers,” targeting foreign nationals in online romance schemes.

Viado said the bureau has received multiple identity verification requests over the past year for individuals attempting to cross borders illegally.

“We commit to provide information on illegal routes that victims might have taken, to allow the local government units and law enforcement agencies to conduct tightening of security in emerging hotspots,” he said.