Three Filipinos—Sarah Jane Santos Marquez, Jalrumax Manaois Turingan, and Noel Bansag Rodriguez—have been arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation’s Airport Investigation Division after being identified as recruiters who lured their fellow countrymen into working for scam farms in Myanmar.
The three suspects were apprehended upon their arrival at Ninoy Aquino International Airport on April 25, alongside seven human trafficking victims who had just been repatriated from Myanmar. These victims bravely pointed to Marquez, Turingan, and Rodriguez as part of the network that illegally recruited them.
According to the victims, they were first approached on social media by people using the names “Miss Anne,” “Orange,” “Carlo,” and “Bryan,” who falsely promised jobs as customer service representatives in Thailand with attractive salaries between US$800 and US$1,500 per month. However, upon arrival in Thailand, they were immediately transported to Myawaddy, Myanmar—and forced to work as online scammers inside dangerous “scam hubs.”
Shockingly, the very recruiters who promised them legitimate jobs were also based in these scam hubs, actively participating in the exploitation.
The arrested suspects are now being held at the NBI detention facility while authorities dig deeper into the syndicate responsible for deceiving Filipinos into these operations.
Meanwhile, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has assured the rescued victims of financial aid, psychosocial support, and reintegration assistance. The DMW is also calling on other possible victims of Marquez, Manaois, and Rodriguez to come forward.
Victims can reach the Migrant Protection Bureau through private message on their official Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/dmwairtip.
The DMW strongly warns all Filipinos: BE EXTREMELY CAUTIOUS when offered overseas jobs.
- NEVER trust online transactions for job offers.
- ALWAYS verify with official government agencies.
- Avoid becoming a victim of human trafficking and illegal recruitment.
Your safety must always come first.