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“’Tol… Huwag Ka Nang Tumuloy.”
Those were the last words Raymon Santos Gumangan told his brother.
A plea.
A warning.
A cry from captivity.
Raymon — a Filipino now being held prisoner in Ukraine — sent that message after realizing the job he thought would change his life had turned into a nightmare.
A Promise of a Better Life
Raymon, who hails from Alcala, Pangasinan, left for Russia believing he had secured a logistics job.
It was supposed to be simple work.
Stable.
High-paying.
But when he arrived in Russia, everything changed.
Instead of working in logistics, Raymon said he was assigned a different role — one he never signed up for.
He was turned into a soldier.
And sent to fight in the war against Ukraine.
Today, he is a prisoner.
A video of Raymon was posted on December 8 on the Facebook page “I Want to Live,” a Ukrainian government project. The post claimed he had been recruited as a mercenary for a high-paying job in Russia.
But behind that label is a Filipino who says he was misled.
The Warning That Saved a Life
Back home, his brother Ryan was about to follow the same path.
Ryan admitted he had also been recruited online by a foreigner he identified only as “Perst.” Thirteen of them were promised lucrative jobs in Russia.
The offer sounded almost too good to ignore.
Truck driver. Logistics.
₱300,000 to ₱400,000 upon signing.
Monthly salary of ₱200,000 to ₱250,000.
For many Filipinos struggling to make ends meet, that kind of money is life-changing.
Ryan and two others were scheduled to leave in October 2024, flying to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, before heading to Russia.
But they were stopped at immigration.
They lacked the required documents.
It may have been frustration at the time.
Now, it feels like fate.
A Dangerous Second Plan
The recruiter wasn’t done.
Ryan said “Perst” gave them another route — one far more dangerous.
They were instructed to travel to Zamboanga.
Then take a boat.
Cross into another country through Malaysia.
It sounded risky.
Illegal, even.
And then came the call from Raymon.
“’Tol, huwag ka nang tumuloy.”
Don’t go.
“Kasi hindi mo kaya iyong trabaho dito.”
You can’t handle the job here.
That was enough.
Ryan and the others decided not to push through.
Today, the recruiter has disappeared. The group chat is gone. There is no contact.
Only silence.
A Painful Reality
Raymon’s story is a chilling reminder of how quickly opportunity can turn into tragedy.
A job offer online.
A promise of big money.
A contract to be signed upon arrival.
And then — war.
The Migrant Workers Office is now urging Filipinos to be cautious.
“Pakikipag-usap lang via social media illegal recruitment iyon,” said Myrlene Galvan, a Migrant Desk Officer in Alcala.
If the offer is only through social media, it may already be illegal recruitment.
Her advice is simple but urgent:
Go to the office.
Verify the agency.
Check if the recruiter is licensed.
Ask questions before boarding that plane.
A Brother’s Plea
Somewhere in Ukraine, Raymon remains in captivity.
But his voice traveled thousands of miles — and saved his brother from the same fate.
Not every warning comes in time.
This one did.
And sometimes, three words are enough to change everything.
“’Tol… huwag ka nang tumuloy.”
