CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (October 28) – The Philippine National Police (PNP) has intensified its crackdown on human traffickers and syndicates behind overseas job scams that have ensnared many workers from Mindanao.
Acting chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said police are coordinating with the Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Migrant Workers, and foreign law-enforcement partners to dismantle trans-national recruitment networks.
Recent data show the scale of the problem: More than 100 Filipinos were repatriated in one August 2025 operation from Laos (77), Myanmar (38) and Cambodia (5). Meanwhile, another report cites over 600 Filipinos trafficked to scam hubs in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand since early 2025.
Many victims hail from Northern Mindanao, Soccsksargen and the Zamboanga Peninsula, lured by fake online job ads promising high pay abroad but ending up forced into scam operations.
Nartatez urged jobseekers to verify online offers and avoid dealing with unlicensed recruiters, saying:
“Marami pa rin sa ating kababayan—lalo na sa mga probinsya—ang nabibiktima nito.”
Sen. Raffy Tulfo added that Cambodia has pledged stronger coordination with the Philippines to rescue and repatriate victims and to investigate complicit immigration personnel.
For Mindanao workers and communities, the crackdown shines a spotlight on a hidden but growing exploitation route—and on the urgent need for vigilance and protection.
