Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 9) — A Filipina who was rescued from forced prostitution in Malaysia was successfully repatriated on Wednesday, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) says.
BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco said the 20-year-old victim was allegedly recruited by an internet acquaintance who promised her a housekeeping job in Malaysia.
“She was held captive. Disturbingly, she was subjected to appalling conditions, including being denied food if she failed to satisfy the demands of her captors,” Tansingco said.
“She was even forced to undergo abortion when they discovered she was with child,” he added.
The sex traffficking victim arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal last Nov. 8 via a Malaysia Airlines flight.
She was assisted by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration upon arrival.
The Filipina said they first traveled to Palawan where she was escorted to illegally board a sailboat destined to Kota Kinabalu.
She also said that they stopped at an unspecified island in the Philippines where they fetched another woman who was also recruited by the syndicate.
The Immigration bureau said she was forced to become a sex worker in Sibu and was later transferred to another hotel in Bintulu after Malaysian authorities raided the hotel.
The woman was able to contact the Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur with the help of the Malaysian police.
