Twenty-six Filipinos, most of them left the Philippines through the “backdoor” from 2006 to 2025, have been repatriated from Malaysia.

In a report to Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado, the Immigration Protection and Border Enforcement Section (I-PROBES) said the repatriates – 17 males and nine females – arrived in Manila last March 16.

The BI said most of the repatriates left through the “southern backdoor and were clandestinely transported by boat to Malaysia.”

It said the victims were apprehended by Malaysian immigration authorities due to their undocumented status and most of them were detained prior to their repatriation.

Viado said that one of the female victims recounted that she was initially recruited to work as a waitress but was later coerced into engaging in sex work.

He also said that several male victims, who were recruited to work in construction projects, experienced maltreatment, including non-payment or underpayment of wages.

In condemning the trafficking syndicates, Viado said: “Many Filipinos leave the country with hopes of improving their lives, but traffickers take advantage of their vulnerability. These victims were deceived by false promises and subjected to exploitation. The Bureau stands firm in its mandate to assist victims and combat trafficking in all its forms.”

He reiterated the BI’s enhanced efforts to strengthen preventive measures at airports and seaports, while sustaining close coordination with local and international partners, particularly in securing border areas in the southern Philippines.

He assured that the bureau will continue the strict enforcement of departure protocols and intensify its information campaign to deter and prevent the recurrence of trafficking schemes.

Those repatriated are now receiving support while the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking, headed by the Department of Justice (DOJ), has started building up cases against the perpetrators.