02/06/2026
JOINT OP NETS CORDILLERA TRAFFICKING SUSPECT IN CAMBODIA SCAM HUB CASE
The Philippine National Police (PNP), under the leadership of Police General Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr., arrested a 28-year-old Filipino male at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 in Pasay City on May 31, 2026, for Qualified Trafficking in Persons under Republic Act No. 9208, as amended by Republic Act No. 10364.
The suspect, a resident of Los BaΓ±os, Laguna, and listed as the No. 1 Regional Most Wanted Person of Police Regional Office Cordillera, was taken into custody upon arrival from Cambodia by virtue of a warrant of arrest issued by a court in La Trinidad, Benguet, on April 21, 2026, with no bail recommended.
The arrest was carried out by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Benguet Provincial Field Unit, the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), and the PNP Aviation Security Group, in coordination with the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and the Bureau of Immigration (BI), as part of sustained government operations against transnational human trafficking and scam hub-related criminal activities involving fraudulent overseas recruitment schemes.
The investigation revealed that on November 25, 2025, and on succeeding days in Puguis, La Trinidad, Benguet, the suspect and his co-accused allegedly recruited a vulnerable unemployed victim through deception, offering overseas employment as a casino dealer with a promised monthly salary of PhP 70,000. The victim was subsequently transported to Cambodia under false job arrangements.
Upon arrival in Phnom Penh on January 5, 2026, the victimβs passport was confiscated and communication was restricted. Instead of legitimate employment, the victim was allegedly forced to work inside a scam hub engaged in online fraudulent operations targeting Filipinos, including romance scams, investment fraud, cryptocurrency schemes, and phishing activities.
On January 11, 2026, the victim managed to escape and sought assistance from the Philippine Embassy in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, where he was provided temporary shelter and later repatriated to the Philippines on January 23, 2026. A complaint for violation of Republic Act No. 9208, as amended, was filed in February 2026 before the Provincial Prosecutorβs Office of La Trinidad, Benguet, which led to the issuance of the warrant of arrest on April 21, 2026.
The operation underscores intensified government action against trafficking syndicates that exploit overseas job seekers and link them to illegal scam hub operations abroad, reinforcing the commitment of law enforcement agencies to dismantle transnational criminal networks.
The PNP continues to implement its Focused Agenda for transformation, with emphasis on Enhanced Managing Police Operations, reinforcing sustained action against human trafficking and transnational criminal groups that exploit overseas Filipino workers and vulnerable individuals through deceptive recruitment schemes and scam hub operations.
Police General Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr. said the government will not allow traffickers to exploit Filipinos seeking overseas employment.
βThe PNP will remain relentless in pursuing individuals and groups who deceive our countrymen with false promises of jobs abroad.β
He added that stronger coordination with partner agencies is crucial in preventing human trafficking and protecting vulnerable Filipinos.
βPatuloy ang mahigpit na operasyon ng PNP laban sa human trafficking at sa mga grupong nagsasamantala sa ating mga kababayan sa loob at labas ng bansa.β
As the PNP strengthens its campaign against transnational human trafficking under the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., it continues to assure the public of its commitment to the vision of Bagong PNP para sa Bagong Pilipinas: Serbisyong Mabilis, Tapat, at Nararamdaman.
(PNP-PIO)
