28-6-2023 (MANILA) In a major operation conducted on Monday night, authorities in Manila apprehended more than 2,700 individuals in a raid on multiple buildings. The raid aimed to dismantle an alleged trafficking network involved in recruiting players for online games, with victims being lured by the promise of employment. Among those found within the compound were nationals from China, Indonesia, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Pakistan, Cameroon, Sudan, Myanmar, and the Philippines.
Police Captain Michelle Sabino, spokesperson for the anti-cybercrime unit, stated that the detainees, totaling 2,724 individuals, were currently undergoing interviews to distinguish victims from suspects. The majority, approximately 1,500, were Filipinos. Concerns have been mounting internationally regarding internet scams prevalent in the Asia-Pacific region, often facilitated by trafficking victims who are coerced or deceived into promoting fraudulent cryptocurrency investments.
According to Sabino, the alleged trafficking victims had responded to job offers on Facebook, which purportedly aimed to recruit workers for the Philippines’ online gaming sector. These victims, many of whom were subjected to 12-hour daily shifts, received meager monthly wages as low as 24,000 pesos ($433). Moreover, they were effectively held captive within the compound, unable to leave.
Sabino referred to the raid as the largest-ever anti-trafficking operation conducted in the Philippines. On Tuesday, AFP journalists present at the scene observed two police buses and two police trucks stationed outside the compound, though access to the buildings was restricted.
Sabino affirmed that a thorough investigation would be carried out, encompassing the possibility of the workers’ involvement in online fraud activities. In a similar incident in May, authorities successfully rescued over a thousand individuals from various Asian countries who had fallen victim to trafficking and were subsequently coerced into running online scams from the Philippines.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) shed light on the methods employed by traffickers, highlighting the lure of “better jobs with high salaries and enticing perks” as the means to ensnare their victims. Itayi Viriri, IOM’s senior regional spokesman for Asia-Pacific, emphasized the unique aspect of these online scams, which affects individuals regardless of their level of education or professional background. Once trapped, victims face exploitation, including abuse, confiscation of travel documents, and isolation from their peers.
Viriri commended the Philippine authorities for their intervention, as victims remain effectively hostage to their traffickers and depend on external assistance to break free from their captors.
Senator Risa Hontiveros of the Philippines recently raised concerns about the existence of “scam call centers” in the country, employing trafficked foreigners. The US State Department’s 2023 report on human trafficking noted that the Philippines had not adequately investigated or prosecuted labor trafficking crimes committed within its borders.
