2 Malaysians nabbed for labor trafficking

Posted by siteadmin
March 31, 2025
Posted in News
Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Bacolod head Major Justin Noel Josol reports the arrest of two Malaysian nationals for labor trafficking. The CIDG arrested the suspects in Barangay Singcang-Airport and rescued seven victims the day before. (PNA photo)
Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Bacolod head Major Justin Noel Josol reports the arrest of two Malaysian nationals for labor trafficking. The CIDG arrested the suspects in Barangay Singcang-Airport and rescued seven victims the day before. (PNA photo)

The Philippine National Police – Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) arrested two Malaysian nationals in Bacolod City for alleged labor trafficking.

In an interview, PNP-CIDG Bacolod head Major Justin Noel Josol identified the suspects as alias “Sam Phoon,” 60 years old; and alias “Abao” who is in his late 20’s.

Josol said they received a tip from one of the suspects’ hired workers, who said they were supposed to be call center agents but were working for an illegal online operation instead.

Following more than a month of surveillance, in coordination with the Bureau of Immigration (BI), Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking, Department of Justice, and Bacolod City Police Office, the CIDG obtained search warrants from Regional Trial Court Branch 45 for three addresses.

They served the search warrant at the house rented by the suspects in Barangay Singcang-Airport early Thursday morning, March 27, where they arrested the Malaysians and rescued seven victims.

“In the course of our investigation, we found that about 100 others have also been recruited,” Josol said.

“They recruited the victims to operate a love scam via a dating site, where they offered pornographic photos to European and American clients for a fee.”

He said some of the models who were recruited to pose for the photos are also working as online agents.

Meanwhile, they only found personal computers and other equipment in the other two addresses, one in the same barangay and the other in Barangay Handumanan.

“This is a breakthrough because we were able to stop such kind of illegal operation in Bacolod. We also found out that this involves work-from-home agents. This was a very clandestine operation,” Josol said.

The suspects underwent inquest proceedings before the City Prosecutor’s Office on Friday afternoon, March 28.

They will undergo a separate inquest proceeding with the BI for expired visas.

Josol called on the other victims recruited by the two suspects to serve as witnesses. (PNA)

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