What 2 Pinoy single mothers endured in Cambodia scam hub
MANILA, Philippines — Migrant workers are often lured abroad by promises of higher salaries. This was the case for two single mothers who, seeing an opportunity online to work in Cambodia, were instead trapped and forced to work in a scam hub.
Now, their mothers are seeking justice for them.
Lolita Bacarra and Erlinda Alberca had never met before a press conference at a church in E. Rodriguez, Quezon City, organized by Migrante International. Despite being strangers, they shared several commonalities, the most significant being that their daughters, two single mothers, were both tricked into a job scheme that led to physical abuse and imprisonment in Cambodia.
Before being trafficked to Cambodia, both Alberca and Bacarra’s daughters worked in malls, though they never crossed paths.
Alberca’s daughter was one of the workers who would sing on the karaoke machine at the mall. She eventually took on side hustles, like selling mango graham cakes, which paid more than her mall job. Bacarra’s daughter, on the other hand, worked at the mall selling watches before accepting the job offer overseas.
The scam
Bacarra said that her daughter left the country for Cambodia in January after meeting a recruiter named “Angelica” on Facebook.
The offer was to become a customer service representative in Cambodia, with a salary of around P40,000 per month. At first, everything appeared fine; they were even allowed to explore and tour the country upon their arrival.
However, things quickly took a dark turn when they were brought to the facility where they were supposed to work. There, Alberca’s daughter was forced to write 100 copies of a script designed to scam other Filipinos, all under the threat of physical violence
During video calls, her daughter would reassure her that everything was fine, leaving Bacarra unaware of the horrors her daughter was enduring.
It wasn't until the Cambodian authorities raided the scam hub that Bacarra’s daughter found no relief, as she was arrested and detained. It was only then that she finally begged her mother for help.
With her grandchild in tow, Bacarra went to the National Bureau of Investigation, only to be told that the matter was outside their jurisdiction. She was then referred to the Department of Foreign Affairs and later to the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, where she provided officials with her daughter’s information and pertinent documents.
Still concerned, Bacarra also reached out to Rep. Erwin Tulfo, who referred her to the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration. She also went to the Department of Migrant Workers.
“Kasi po, bilang breadwinner yung anak ko, tiyaka single mother, tinanggap niya yung alok na iyon na scam hub sa Cambodia,” Bacarra said. (Because as a breadwinner, and as a single mother, they accepted that scam hub in Cambodia.)
In Alberca’s daughter’s case, she arrived in Cambodia in March with a similar promise of work found online. However, there was no free time as promised. She and the others were immediately alarmed by the facility they were taken to, which was surrounded by high fences.
They also witnessed physical abuse. According to Alberca, one of the victims managed to ask for help from authorities, and they were rescued a few days later. However, in those critical days before the rescue, the traffickers learned that someone had informed on them.
As a result, the trafficking victims were beaten and threatened, with some even being held at gunpoint by their abductors.
“Akala nila papatayin na sila doon,” Alberca said. (They thought they were going to die.)
Alberca also sought help from the authorities. Bacarra said she contacted Senator Raffy Tulfo’s show but was told her case couldn’t be aired again because a similar one had already been featured.
Eventually, the authorities came to rescue the victims. However, they thought they were being taken to the Philippine Embassy in Cambodia, but instead, they were taken to prison, just like Bacarra’s daughter.
What they thought was a rescue turned out to be an arrest, Alberca said.
Eventually, Bacarra and Alberca’s daughters ended up meeting in the Cambodian prison where they were taken after being freed from the scam hub.
The victims of human trafficking were reportedly subjected to poor living conditions in the prison, with scarce food and water. They were only properly fed when officials from the Philippine Embassy arrived to assist them.
Bacarra and Alberca’s daughters were repatriated to the Philippines on April 20, together with eight other victims.
Senatorial candidate and former House lawmaker Liza Maza criticized the lack of recognition of the detained migrant workers as human trafficking victims.
“The victims sought help from our embassy officials—but why were they brought to jail in Cambodia? Because their case was not treated as trafficking. Instead, they were treated like criminals,” Maza said.
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