24 OFWs safely return to PH after 9 months of detention in Russia

MANILA, Philippines — A total of 24 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) returned to the Philippines in two batches over the weekend after spending nine months in detention in Russia.

Russian authorities released the OFWs detained in Irkutsk, Siberia, after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. sought their release during his recent meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

According to the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), the Filipinos were supposedly detained for insufficient documents after reportedly being victimized by deceitful recruiters.

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“They don’t have papers as workers in Russia, so it got to the point of immigration cases against them, leading to deportation,” DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac told the media on Sunday.

The OFWs arrived in two separate flights from Krasnoyarsk, Russia, to Bangkok, Thailand, then to Manila.

READ: Marcos eyes nuclear energy partnership with Russia

Six of the detainees landed on Saturday at around 11:40 p.m., while the remaining 18 arrived on Sunday at 4 a.m.

Cacdac said that from the airport, the OFWs were provided with hotel accommodations and free transportation back home, some including flights to provinces.

“Admin PY Caunan has already given a directive to his deputies… to accommodate them in hotel facilities and transport them back to their respective provinces… So free plane tickets,” Cacdac reported.

He continued: “The president also ordered that they be given financial assistance, so something was given to them… There is also employment or livelihood assistance available to them. That will be allocated in the next few days.”

Cacdac also shared that one of the OFWs has a child with special needs, while two others have parents with serious illnesses.

All of whom, he said, would be referred to the Department of Health for assistance.

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