Manila: Myanmar has released 78 Filipinos who were detained for immigration-related offenses after being trafficked for employment in scam hubs in the country. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Saturday night said all nationals were employed in scam centers in Myanmar and had been serving sentences for illegal entry and residency.

According to Philippines News Agency, the DFA expressed gratitude to the Myanmar authorities for their compassionate and humanitarian gesture, which coincided with the Myanmar New Year, Thingyan. This act is seen as a reflection of goodwill between Myanmar and the Philippines. The Philippine Embassy in Yangon is currently facilitating the repatriation of the 78 Filipinos, ensuring it is prompt, safe, and orderly in coordination with Myanmar authorities.

The DFA reaffirmed its commitment to protecting Filipino nationals overseas, collaborating with the Department of Migrant Workers. It also emphasized its ongoing efforts with relevant law enforcement agencies to prosecute illegal recruiters trafficking Filipinos for illicit jobs abroad. The Bureau of Immigration (BI) had previously warned Filipinos about illegal 'backdoor' exit schemes amid the continued repatriation of trafficking victims.

Recently, a 24-year-old Filipino woman was successfully repatriated after being coerced into working as a love scam operator in Myanmar. She departed the country on May 31 last year, traveling by boat from Tawi-Tawi and passing through Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, and Kuala Lumpur before reaching Phnom Penh and Bavet in Cambodia. Recruited online through Telegram for a supposed receptionist position in Myanmar, she was promised a salary ranging from USD900 to USD1,200. However, she was later sold to another company and forced to engage in scam activities for additional months, traveling with several unidentified Filipinos who also used illegal routes to reach Myanmar.