2 TAIWANESE NABBED FOR ILLEGAL RECRUITMENT, 5 OFWS RESCUED AT NAIA

AUTHORITIES  on Monday (Sept. 22) arrested two Taiwanese nationals allegedly behind the illegal recruitment of Filipinos for online scam hubs abroad while five aspiring overseas workers were rescued at the  Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3.

The suspects identified as You-De Zeng and Hou-Lin Pan were intercepted in a joint operation led by the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), in coordination with the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), Philippine National Police–Women and Children Protection Center (PNP-WCPC), Bureau of Immigration’s I-PROBES, the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT), and the NAIA Task Force Against Trafficking (NAIATFAT).

The five victims — three men and two women — were recruited to work in Cambodia as customer service representatives with promised salaries of US$800 to US$1,000 a month.

Investigators said the jobs were fictitious and tied to cyberfraud operations that have proliferated in Southeast Asia.

Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac lauded the coordinated response, saying the arrest underscores President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to step up protection for Filipinos against trafficking syndicates.

“The arrest of these illegal recruiters and human traffickers is our bold and firm message to protect our kababayan from exploitation,” Cacdac said.

“We will not stop pursuing recruiters who prey on the vulnerability of our people,” he added.

The Taiwanese suspects face charges of illegal recruitment and human trafficking under the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act (RA 8042, as amended by RA 10022) and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act (RA 9208, as amended by RA 10364).

The DMW and OWWA said they are providing assistance to the rescued workers, who were lured through social media and messaging platforms.

 Authorities stressed the continuing inter-agency effort to dismantle recruitment schemes linked to scam hubs abroad.

“This case highlights the importance of vigilance and cooperation among agencies to keep Filipinos safe,” the DMW said.

 in a statement.###