29-6-2023 (MANILA) Four Singaporeans were among the individuals rescued by the Philippine police during a raid in Manila on Monday night. The raid aimed to dismantle a trafficking operation that allegedly forced people to work for an online casino in the capital.
In response to queries from CNA, a spokesperson for Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) stated on Thursday that the Singaporean embassy in Manila is in contact with the relevant Philippine authorities. The embassy has also reached out to provide consular assistance to the affected Singaporeans.
The ministry confirmed that they have verified the presence of four Singaporeans among the rescued victims.
The Philippine police announced on Tuesday that they had successfully rescued over 1,000 people who had been trafficked into the country to work for the online casino. The raid targeted various buildings in Manila, where victims from China, Vietnam, Singapore, and Malaysia were discovered. Additionally, individuals from Indonesia, Pakistan, Cameroon, Sudan, and Myanmar were also found in the compound.
During the raids, more than 2,700 people were detained, with over 1,500 of them being Filipinos. Police Captain Michelle Sabino, spokesperson for the anti-cybercrime unit, revealed that the victims had responded to job postings on Facebook, lured to work in the Philippines to recruit players for online games. Many of the victims were subjected to grueling 12-hour shifts, earning as little as 24,000 pesos (approximately US$433) per month, and were forcibly confined within the compound.
Sabino described the operation as the largest anti-trafficking raid in the history of the Philippines.
The MFA spokesperson expressed the Singaporean government’s appreciation for the Philippine authorities’ efforts in conducting the rescue operation.
