3 Pinays who were forced into prostitution in Sabah finally home

The three Filipinas who were duped into working as sex workers in Sabah, Malaysia, are finally home, three months after their ordeal was first reported.

In an episode of Reporter's Notebook that aired on Thursday night, March 22, GMA News' Maki Pulido said the three — Chona, Loida and Gemma — arrived in the Philippines on March 2.

"Masaya, kasi makakasama ko na 'yung pamilya ko, lalo na 'yung mga kapatid ko," one of them said.

"Hindi ko po akalain na makakauwi po kami. Akala po namin habangbuhay na kami makukulong dun. Akala namin wala nang tutulong sa amin," another one said.

The three, who were promised employment as waitresses in Sabah, were detained for being undocumented.

With the help of Reporter's Notebook, the three were brought to their respective provinces upon their arrival in the Philippines to start their life anew.

PHL government's presence in Sabah 

According to Prof. Jay Batongbacal of the UP Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea, the unresolved issue on the Philippine claim on Sabah is hampering efforts to address the concerns of Filipinos there.

"Hangga't hindi pa rin masagot ng pamahalaan kung paano ia-address 'yung issue ng claim, kung paano niya tutugunan ang mga pangangailangan ng ating mga tauhan doon, hindi sila makakagalaw, hindi sila makaka-come up ng solusyon doon sa problema ng mga Pilipino sa Sabah," he said.

Undersecretary Erneso Abella of the Department of Foreign Affairs said the Philippine government makes its presence felt in Sabah for the Filipinos there through consular missions.

"We send out teams there in order to register 'yung mga undocumented births, 'yung mga passport support. We have that," he said.

"We do have a presence. It may not be as permanent as we wanted, but we do have a presence there," Abella added. —KBK, GMA News