26 Filipino workers return from Cambodia upon their request

Repatriated Filipinos arriving in the Philippines from Oddar Meanchey Province, Cambodia, assisted by government agencies, and the Office for Migration Affairs headed by Undersecretary Atty. Eduardo de Vega (7th from left) (DFA-OUMA photo)

MANILA, Philippines —- Twenty six Filipinos in Oddar Meanchey Province in Cambodia were successfully repatriated on April 16, the Philippine government confirmed.

In a statement on Wednesday, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the Philippine embassy quickly coordinated with the Cambodian government upon the request of the Filipinos involved.

“The Philippine embassy, upon the request of the concerned Filipinos, had made official representations with the Cambodian government for their release from a company in Samraong Municipality, Oddar Meanchey Province,” said the DFA.

“The Philippine Government appreciates the assistance extended by the Royal Government of Cambodia in this regard,” it added.

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According to the DFA, representatives from government agencies, including DFA, Department of Migrant Workers, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, and Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking were at the airport to personally receive the 26 repatriates and provide them assistance.

INQUIRER.net has sought the DFA’s confirmation whether or not the 26 Filipinos were human trafficking victims or they were forced to work at scam hubs. But the agency has yet to reply as of writing.

But in the same statement issued on Wednesday, the DFA encouraged the public to read and disseminate an advisory issued by the Philippine embassy in Cambodia in relation to dubious overseas job opportunities as customer service representatives.

In the advisory, the Philippine embassy in Cambodia said it has observed the proliferation of social media ads, including on Facebook and Telegram, for job opportunities as “Customer Service Representatives” or “Chat Support Representatives” overseas.

The embassy said in many cases, these supposed Chat Support Representative jobs involve victimizing unsuspecting individuals through love scams or fake investment schemes.