FORMER head of the Philippine Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) Director Casio has disclosed that an estimated 900 to 1,500 Filipino nationals are currently being held in scam hubs across Myanmar.
The figure, shared publicly, underscores the scale of the crisis, with victims reportedly lured abroad by promises of legitimate work only to find themselves confined and forced to carry out online fraud and cyber-scams targeting people in the Philippines and other countries.
Casio explained that many of those trapped are unable to leave the facilities, where they are subjected to coercion, surveillance, and severe restrictions on their movement. Attempts to escape are reportedly met with punishment, and in some cases, ransoms are demanded from families back home.
The situation has prompted calls for intensified diplomatic and law enforcement coordination between the Philippines, Myanmar, and other concerned governments to locate the victims, secure their release, and bring them home safely.
Authorities have already facilitated the return of smaller groups of Filipinos rescued from similar operations in recent months, but the former PAOCC chief emphasized that the number of those still stranded remains substantial.
He urged families with missing or recently departed relatives who may have traveled to Southeast Asia for work to come forward and coordinate with the Department of Migrant Workers and the National Bureau of Investigation. Efforts to dismantle the networks and secure the repatriation of the remaining victims are ongoing.
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