24 OFWs return home after 9-month detention in Russia

MANILA, Philippines — Following a nine-month detention in Russia, 24 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) returned to the Philippines in two batches on Saturday and Sunday. 

The OFWs detained in Irkutsk, Siberia, were released by Russian authorities upon the request of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who met recently with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

According to the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), the Filipinos were supposedly detained for insufficient documents after reportedly being victimized by deceitful recruiters.

“They don’t have papers as workers in Russia, so it got to the point of immigration cases against them, leading to deportation,” DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac told the media on Sunday.

READ: Marcos trip secures release of 24 Filipinos from Russia detention

The OFWs arrived in two separate flights from Krasnoyarsk, Russia, to Bangkok, Thailand, then to Manila. 

Six of the detainees landed on Saturday at around 11:40 p.m., while the remaining 18 arrived on Sunday at 4 a.m.

Cacdac said that from the airport, the OFWs were provided with hotel accommodations and free transportation back home, some including flights to provinces.

“Admin PY Caunan has already given a directive to his deputies… to accommodate them in hotel facilities and transport them back to their respective provinces… So free plane tickets,” Cacdac reported.

He continued: “The president also ordered that they be given financial assistance, so something was given to them… There is also employment or livelihood assistance available to them. That will be allocated in the next few days.”

Cacdac also shared that one of the OFWs has a child with special needs, while two others have parents with serious illnesses.

All of whom, he said, would be referred to the Department of Health for assistance. /das /atm