Over 200 Filipinos in Myanmar scam hub seek repatriation
Over 200 Filipinos who worked in scam hubs in Myanmar are seeking repatriation, the Department of Foreign Affairs said on Oct. 26.
The Philippine Embassy in Yangon received 222 active requests for assistance as of Oct. 24.
Of this number, 66 were reported to have reached Thailand and nine traveled to Yangon and are now under the embassy's custody.
"The Embassy is working with Myanmar authorities to finalize the deportation procedures for those currently in holding camps and to facilitate the rescue of those who remain in scam hub compounds," the DFA said in a statement.
Those who wish to request assistance for repatriation may contact the Embassy in Yangon through +959985210993, +959985210998, +959409883434 (Viber), and +959985210996.
Myanmar's junta, or military, raided one of the country's largest scam hubs, KK Park, on Oct. 20. More than 1,000 people fled into Thailand, most of whom were Chinese men, according to Thai authorities.
Sprawling cyberscam hubs, where fraudsters swindle victims through online cons, have flourished along Myanmar's loosely governed border during its years-long civil war.
Some scammers are trafficked into the often-fortified compounds, while others work voluntarily, hoping to earn more in the multibillion-dollar illicit industry than they can at home.
On Oct. 24, Myanmar state media said that authorities detained 118 foreign nationals from 14 countries who had "illegally" entered the country and were engaged in online gambling and scam operations.
In March, the DFA brought home 176 Filipinos, who are allegedly victims of human trafficking, from scam centers in Myawaddy, Myanmar.
Eight were previously rescued in February 2023. From the group, four males were supposedly set to work as customer support representatives in Thailand. However, they were brought to Myanmar and forced to trick victims into investing in cryptocurrency, according to a DFA press release. (with reports from AFP)
