Philippine authorities have facilitated the safe return of several Filipino victims of human trafficking who arrived in the country on January 17 aboard MV Antonia from Malaysia, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said.

The returnees, mostly women aged 23 to 32, were deceived by false promises of legitimate overseas employment, including supposed call center and service-related jobs, but later faced exploitative conditions abroad. Some of the victims traveled through illegal migration routes via Palawan and Mindanao before reaching Malaysia.

According to the BI, several of the victims were intercepted by Malaysian authorities for immigration violations, detained for months, and later deported to the Philippines. Upon arrival, they were immediately assisted by the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) for recovery and reintegration support.

BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said the repatriation underscores the government’s commitment, under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive, to protect overseas Filipinos from human trafficking and exploitation.

He also warned the public against illegal recruiters, stressing that legitimate overseas jobs do not require travel through irregular routes and should be verified through the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).