A 34-year-old Filipino victim of human trafficking and illegal recruitment was deported from Malaysia, according to the Bureau of Immigration (BI).
Identified only as “Tina,” the individual arrived at the Zamboanga International Seaport after being deported by Malaysian authorities.
The BI’s immigration protection and border enforcement section (I-PROBES) said Tina was a former government law enforcer who departed the Philippines on February 5 “using a clandestine route… bypassing official immigration checks and entry procedures”: from Palawan to Kudat, Malaysia, proceeding to Kota Kinabalu via speedboat.
Tina was forced to work as a club entertainer for 10 days upon arriving in Sabah, before being rescued by Malaysian authorities and taken to a women’s shelter in Kota Kinabalu. However, she was eventually deported for working in the country without proper documentation.
The victim has since undergone standard immigration formalities and was turned over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for assistance and post-rescue care.
“We remind all Filipinos never to agree to illegal employment or unverified overseas work offers… The backdoor is not a shortcut—it is a direct route to exploitation. The government is serious in protecting our nationals and stopping trafficking rings,” BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said.
“If you or someone you know is being recruited for suspicious overseas work or asked to travel through unofficial routes, report it immediately to the authorities,” he added.