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Humanitarian crisis: Sen. Risa Hontiveros presides over the hybrid hearing on Wednesday, January 25, 2023 on the use of Filipinos in scam operations abroad. Hontiveros, chairperson of the Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality, said Filipinos are recruited by criminal syndicates and are used in scam operations not only in Myanmar but also in Cambodia. “This is nothing less than an emerging humanitarian crisis perpetrated by the vilest of criminal syndicates,” Hontiveros said. A witness revealed that an employee of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) based in Clark, Pampanga facilitated the travel of the victims abroad. Hontiveros questioned concerned government agencies, including airport officials, how these victims were able to get out the country with fake papers. (Joseph Vidal/Senate PRIB)