MANILA – After a grueling battle for repatriation, ten overseas Filipino workers who are the third batch of migrant workers repatriated from Damascus, Syria safely returned to the Philippines on Saturday, March 27, following support and assistance from President Rodrigo Duterte, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, the Department of Foreign Affairs, and other concerned government agencies.

Aside from official government aid, Go’s office also extended additional assistance to the OFWs and their families, such as food packs, masks, face shields, vitamins, and other forms of aid such as mobile gadgets to the beneficiaries. The distribution of aid was conducted while strictly complying with health protocols to prevent the further spread of COVID-19.

“Parte po ito ng kalinga at malasakit ni Pangulong Duterte para sa ating OFWs. Hindi po namin kayo pababayaan,” said Go. “Sisiguraduhin natin na mapapanagot ang mga responsable sa human trafficking, pati ‘yung mga opisyal na hinayaang lumusot ang ganitong gawain. Ayoko na may inaabusong Pilipino kahit asan man sila sa mundo,” he added.

The repatriated OFWs were victims of human trafficking in the Middle Eastern country. Earlier, Go had previously expressed his grave concern over the reported trafficking of some Filipinos in Syria and abused by their employers, saying that this is one of the reasons why he is bent on pushing for the passage of a bill that will establish the Department of Overseas Filipinos (DOFil) that will better protect their rights and advance their welfare.

“Bagong bayani kung ituring natin sila na halos sampung porsiyento ng ating populasyon. Sana naman ay suklian natin ng mas maayos at mas mabilis na serbisyo ang kanilang sakripisyo para sa kanilang pamilya at sa bayan,” Go said in a statement.

He also assured that the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking or IACAT is working with the victims so trafficking cases can be filed against the perpetrators.

“Dapat lamang po na papanagutin ang mga human traffickers na ito dahil mga salot sila sa ating OFWs. Hirap na hirap na nga ang mga kababayan natin, may mga nangsasamantala at nambibiktima pa,” he said.

The IACAT launched last year the digitized Integrated Case Management System to manage and ensure coordinated government action against the trafficking of OFWs.

According to the information posted by the Philippine Embassy in Syria, the services of Syrian lawyers were already engaged to file cases against the individuals reportedly behind the trafficking of OFWs in the country. Documents of other victims are being processed at this time so they can also be repatriated back home.

The DFA is also conducting an administrative investigation on certain officers and personnel of the embassy in Syria who reportedly failed to act on the concerns of the trafficking victims.

Go has always been a staunch advocate for the rights of OFWs. In February 7, Go also provided assistance to the first batch of six Filipino migrants who were victims of human trafficking in Syria after they safely returned to the Philippines.

He also aided the second batch of Filipino migrants from Syria who arrived in the country on February 27.

In December last year, Go also assisted in the successful repatriation of Malik S. Darimbang, an OFW who was stuck in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for six years after he got involved in a road accident which led to the death of a Pakistani national.

During the same month, Go also welcomed the decision of a Kuwaiti criminal court which sentenced to death by hanging a Kuwaiti woman for killing Filipina domestic worker Jeanelyn Padernal Villavende in December 2019.

In 2018, Filipino masseurs in Kuwait were rescued after reaching out to radio host Raffy Tulfo in his show, Raffy Tulfo in Action. Through Tulfo, the victims got in touch with Go. Go referred them to the National Bureau of Investigation to ensure their safety and for the eventual prosecution of the Filipino illegal recruiter.