Senator Cynthia Villar welcomed three overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who were rescued from an alleged prostitution den in Malaysia.
The three women, identified only as Mary Rose, Julie Ann and Ailene were repatriated from Malaysia aboard Air Asia Flight YM 5428. They were reunited with their families at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport last Thursday.
“We have seen this modus before– recruiters using the promise of work and good salary as bait so they could attract our kababayan, usually in the provinces. Malalaman na lang ng kababayan natin na walang trabaho kapag nandoon na sa ibang bansa, kung saan sila pinapagawa ng iligal na bagay, minamaltrato at inaabuso,” Villar said.
“We have seen this modus before– recruiters using the promise of work and good salary as bait so they could attract our kababayan, usually in the provinces.”
“Despite the existence of Republic Act 9283 or the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act, which was signed into law 15 years ago, illegal recruiters continue to operate and many of our people continue to fall victims of human trafficking,” the veteran legislator added.
“Despite the existence of the law, illegal recruiters continue to operate and many of our people continue to fall victims of human trafficking.”
The seasoned lawmaker also asked authorities to go after the recruiter and her cohorts and see to it that they face the harshest penalties under the law.
The case of the three OFWs was referred to the lady senator and the Villar Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation and Governance (Villar SIPAG) by radio station DZRH. She provided the OFWs financial assistance as well as sari-sari store startup kits when she met them at the Senate.
It was learned that in 2017, the women who are all residents of Bataan, were recruited by a certain Rea Cervantes to work as performers in Malaysia with a promised monthly salary of P40,000.
The three departed Manila on September 15, 2017 for Zamboanga City. On arrival at the Zamboanga airport, they were assisted by four men and travelled by boat to Basilan and then to Tawi-Tawi. From Tawi-Tawi, they travelled to Malaysia by speed boat.
When the three OFWs arrived in Malaysia, they were brought to their employer who in turn assigned them as waitresses at the Labuan Kings Musical and KTV Bar in Kota Kinabalu. Aside from serving food and drinks to the customers, the three OFWs were also required by their employer to entertain the customers of the bar by giving them sexual favors. The three OFWs obeyed their employer’s orders out of fear.
The three women also did not receive salaries from their employer and were not allowed to go out. The employer would also hit the women and starve them.
Their phones were also confiscated, but luckily one of the OFWs had a spare phone which she then used to seek help. One of the parents of the OFWs then sought the help of a DZRH reporter. The reporter then asked the help of the National Bureau of Investigation.
With the NBI’s help, the three women were rescued on October 31, 2017. They were taken to a shelter where they stayed until their repatriation.
“We thank the authorities for acting swiftly on the immediate rescue of Mary Rose, Julie Anne, and Ailene. It might have been worst for these women if they were not rescued immediately,” Villar said.
She also invited the three OFWs to avail of the free trainings offered by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), farm schools and other learning sites, to get started on other livelihood opportunities.
