AT least 31 more overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) recruited as call center agents in Thailand are still trapped in Myanmar working as crypto scammers allegedly for members of the Chinese mafia, Senate deputy minority leader Risa Hontiveros said yesterday.
Hontiveros urged the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) to verify the information, which she said came from one of the 12 OFWs who were recently rescued by the Department of Foreign Affairs in Myanmar.
In an interview with ANC, Hontiveros said: “And even when they finally got safely home, ang sumbong nina Rita (Rita told us that) there are at least 31 other Filipinos (who are) in (the) same predicament (such as theirs), trafficked, forced to work as scammers (and under) terrible mental health pressure because of the pretense that (they) have to engage in.”
The fate of the 12 OFWs rescued in Myanmar was the topic of Hontiveros’ privilege speech delivered last week.
She said the 12 OFWs, led by a certain “Rita,” were lured through the internet to apply as customer service representatives in Thailand because of the promise of high salaries. But upon arrival in the country, they said they were allegedly “kidnapped” by members of the Chinese mafia who then brought them to Shwe Kokko Special Economic Zone, also known as “scam city.”
Once there, the 12 OFWs were forced to scam people using crypto currency. They were not paid their salaries and were not fed if they fail to deliver positive results. They were likewise supposedly threatened with bodily harm.
Hontiveros said Rita managed to send emails to Philippine authorities and non-government organizations who joined hands to rescue them.
She said the information provided by Rita that 31 more Filipinos are languishing in Myanmar should be looked into by proper authorities.
“At ‘yung mga banta sa kanila, terrible threats at ‘yung iba sa kanila, including the 31 na naiwan doon, alam ni Rita, sinasaktan We only know of those 31 others…Yan ang pinaiimbestigahan ko sa ating mga awtoridad and thanks to DMW, sabi nila angnag-iimbestiga na sila (They were threatened, including the 31 who were left there who, to Rita’s knowledge, are being physically abused. We only know of those 31 others…That’s why I asked them to investigate and thanks to the DMW which is now investigating the information),” she said.
She said Rita told her that since the syndicate’s modus operandi has been exposed, the members of the Chinese mafia are reportedly looking for contacts at the Bureau of Immigration to facilitate the exit of more Filipinos but this time through Malaysia.
