THE Department of Foreign Affairs has repatriated 176 Filipino alleged human trafficking victims (HTVs) from illegal scam centers in Myawaddy, Myanmar.

DFA Migration Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo José de Vega said, a special flight from Bangkok, Thailand was arranged for the Filipino victims.

The plane carrying a total of 176 repatriates landed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 around 05:40 in the morning.

The successful repatriation comes after the week-long shuttle visit of de Vega to Myanmar and Thailand for the Filipinos to return home to be with their loved ones in the Philippines.

A day prior, the DFA led the repatriation of 30 Filipino HTVs also from Myanmar via Thailand.

The DFA has reiterated its advice to all Filipinos to pass through the proper deployment procedures of the concerned government agencies, such as the Department of Migrant Workers, before leaving the country for overseas employment.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Chona Yu