The Philippine Department of Justice (DOJ) is asking a very serious question:
👉 Could some of the rescued Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) actually be human traffickers pretending to be victims?
This idea came from Justice Undersecretary Nicholas Felix Ty, who spoke during a public briefing on Monday. He said that while many OFWs are victims of illegal work scams, we need to make sure we’re not also rescuing the wrong people—those who may have helped do the crime.
🛬 What’s Happening With OFWs?
In April, groups of Filipinos were rescued from scam hubs in Cambodia and Myanmar. These scam hubs are places where people are forced to work, sometimes in illegal or harmful jobs.
Usually, when these OFWs come back to the Philippines, the government treats them as victims. They are welcomed home, given help like food and money, and allowed to go back to their normal lives.
❗But Here’s the Problem:
Ty says that in Cambodia, the government doesn’t just assume everyone is a victim. They investigate first.
They want to know:
🔍 Who is truly a victim?
🔍 And who might be a criminal, like a recruiter or someone helping the scam?
🤔 Why This Matters
Some Filipinos may have knowingly joined scam groups, or even helped recruit others. In cases like that, should they still be treated as victims?
“If they knew what they were doing, are they still victims?” Ty asked.
“Should they still get aid, or should they face punishment?”
🚨 Human Trafficking Cases Are Rising
So far this year, there have been 15 cases of human trafficking in the Philippines.
That’s why the DOJ is being extra careful now.
They also warned Filipinos thinking about joining shady job offers abroad to think twice.
“Next time, you might not be rescued,” Ty warned.
“You could be treated as a human trafficker, not a victim.”
📞 What Should You Do?
If you or someone you know sees a job offer that seems suspicious, don’t ignore it.
👉 Call the DOJ’s human trafficking hotline: 1343
🧠 In Simple Words:
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Some people go abroad and fall into scams—they are real victims.
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But others might be part of the scam, and they should not get the same treatment.
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The government wants to double-check so that the real criminals are caught.
