MANILA — Twenty-four Filipinos who were detained in Russia for around nine months have arrived safely in the Philippines early Sunday following government efforts led by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

The group arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Ninoy Aquino International Airport) Terminal 1 in two separate batches from Bangkok, Thailand.

Six of the returnees arrived shortly after midnight aboard Philippine Airlines Flight PR737, while the remaining 18 arrived early Sunday via Flight PR733.

They were welcomed by Foreign Affairs Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro and Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Cacdac upon arrival.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (Department of Foreign Affairs (Philippines)) said the repatriation was coordinated with Russian authorities, with support from the Department of Migrant Workers (Department of Migrant Workers) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (Overseas Workers Welfare Administration).

Earlier, President Marcos said he raised the case of the Filipinos during a bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the ASEAN-Russia Commemorative Summit in Kazan.

He thanked the Russian government for helping resolve the situation.

The President said the Filipinos were detained in Irkutsk in southeastern Siberia for about nine months without formal charges.

Government officials earlier reported that the group may have been victims of illegal recruitment schemes and were later taken into custody for possible immigration-related violations.

Authorities said the returning Filipinos will receive assistance and reintegration support as investigations continue into how they were recruited and brought to Russia.